Legacy
by Fading into the background
Summary: Every family has it's secrets. Every person is eventually forced to take responsibility for their past. When Shunsui makes a mistake, will his family's legacy destroy everything he'd ever hoped to have?
1. Hot Springs

**Fair warning: This is a sequel. If you haven't read my other story, Skeletons in the Closet, I would suggest starting there because you might be a little confused and there will be references with little explanation here. Also, that one is done, so you might as well start there and nor have to wait for updates :)

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"Nanao-chan," came a singsong voice from around the corner.

She sighed and leaned her head back against the rock behind her. She'd really thought that conversation was going to hold him up longer.

"Lovely, lovely, Nanao-chan," he sang out again. "Where is my most beautiful darling angel?" She wondered briefly if she could drown herself in the hot springs before he found her. "There's my Nanao-chan," he said, finally appearing from behind a building. Too late.

"Kyouraku Taicho," she greeted, not bothering to lift her head from its relaxed position.

"What'd I do now?" he pouted. He always hated when she called him that outside of work, really he hated it at work too, but in the year and a half they'd been together she'd refused to call him anything else in the office.

"You interrupted perfectly good quiet time," she said, lifting her head to glare over at him. He stood at the edge of the hot spring with a white towel slung around his waist looking like a kicked puppy.

"But I hurried just to enjoy the hot springs with my Nanao-chan," he replied, sticking out his bottom lip and looking like a dejected child.

She snorted at this explanation and said, "You hurried to see me naked in the hot springs."

"Well, there was that too," he confirmed grinning.

"You might as well get in," she said, raising a dismissive hand from the water. "Stand there any longer and you'll catch a cold, and then I'll have to put up with you being unbearable and demanding to be waited on hand and foot while you're sick."

"Your life is so hard," he replied in a fake pitying voice as he let his towel drop away and slid into the hot springs across from her. She prided herself on the fact that she no longer had to look away and didn't even blush violently anymore whenever he so casually stripped himself bare, but she still couldn't help the tiny bit of embarrassment she felt every time it happened anywhere other than in total privacy. She'd never been good at nudity as a whole and had mainly avoided public baths, even where the sexes were separated, for the majority of her life. It had been one of the main reasons she'd moved out of the barracks as early as humanly possible.

"People often tell me they feel sorry for me," she agreed as he started moving towards her through the steamy water.

"Then they don't know us very well. They should really feel sorry for me, as all I can do is beg and plead for my warrior princess' good will."

"Your life is so hard," she said, mocking his earlier comment.

He gave a hum of agreement as he leaned over where she was seated and kissed her lips softly. "Hello, love."

"Hi," she said quietly. "I thought you'd be a while longer."

"I managed to get my mother's attention on the fact that Seichii still hasn't produced an heir and slipped out while she was reaming him," he said, kissing the juncture between her neck and her shoulder.

"Why did we have to come here again?" she asked, raking her nails up his chest and settling her hands on his shoulders.

"Because it's a family reunion so we had to come," he explained patiently.

"Ok, clarification, why did _I_ have to come?" she asked.

"Silly Nanao-chan, you are family," he scolded happily.

"I don't see a ring," she said, wiggling the fingers on her left hand.

He captured the moving hand and kissed her knuckles. "That's only because you keep turning me down," he said lightly. "You know, one day I might really get discouraged and stop asking."

"Yeah right," she said rolling her eyes. "You are persistent to the point of exhaustion."

"Marry me," he requested, holding her gaze.

"No," she laughed.

"Come on," he wheedled. "Marry me and have my babies."

"You're only suddenly so insistent on knocking me up because you discovered that rule saying pregnant women aren't allowed out in the field," she said.

"Hey, I want to knock you up because I love you and want little baby Nanaos and Shunsuis," he said smiling. "Having you safe and sound behind the Seireitei walls is just an unexpected added bonus."

"Well, I'm not getting pregnant anytime soon, so keep dreaming," she replied grinning.

"As long as we get to keep practicing," he said, picking her up by her waist and twisting them around so she was sitting straddling his lap.

"We're out in public," she protested.

"It's my family's private hot springs," he said easily.

"Which means any member of your family could walk in at any moment," she clarified.

"They're all old, they go to bed early," he argued.

"You have like two dozen cousins that are around the same age as us, and then about three quarters of them have children," she said, trying to ignore the fact that she was sitting naked in his equally naked lap.

"Nanao-chan worries too much," he said, cutting off her protests with a languid kiss that had her pressing closer to him unconsciously. They carried on this way for a few minutes before they were interrupted.

"Shunsui, are you out here?" his brother's voice called. "You better not be having sex in the hot springs again. I swear to kami if I catch you at it one more time."

"Again?" Nanao whispered, quirking an eyebrow at him and backing up as far as his lap would permit. She'd never been out to his family's country home before, so it certainly wasn't her his brother was referencing. She tried to wiggle further away from him and out of his lap, but he wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Nanao," he said softly.

"Let me go," she replied calmly. "If you keep me here then your brother is about to get an eyeful." He looked torn, but after glancing down at her naked form once more, released his hold on her. She made her way over to the side of the hot spring and pulled herself out of the water, wrapping her previously abandoned towel around her. She was just in time too, as his brother rounded the corner.

"There you are," Seichii said, spotting Kyouraku. "Ise-san," he added nodding to her politely, though she could hear the quiet distaste in his tone. Her and Shunsui's brother may have gotten off on the wrong foot during their first meeting, i.e. she set his clothes on fire, and they'd only ever managed to tolerate each other ever since.

"Something you wanted nii-chan?" Shunsui asked sweetly, just to annoy the older man.

"Passing on a message," Seichii explained simply, and then looked at Nanao expectantly.

"Whatever you have to say can be said in front of her," Shunsui said darkly.

"I'm going to bed anyway," she said with a shrug. She really didn't care what the latest family emergency was. For all she knew Seichii just wanted to curse his little brother out in peace for leaving him alone with their mother. Heck, Shunsui probably deserved to be cursed out. Their mother did not take kindly to her two son's lack of children. She'd actually ambushed Nanao about three months into her and Shunsui's relationship, claiming to be taking her out to lunch, but instead dragging her into a healer and making the healer run all sorts of test to make sure she wasn't barren. The only good thing that had come out of that, was that from there on out his mother had decided to blame Shunsui for her not being pregnant instead of her.

"You can stay," Shunsui said firmly.

"But I don't want to," she replied with a laugh. She moved around the pool and moved passed his brother.

"Thank you, Ise-san, for seeing reason," Seichii said, which just rubbed her all sorts of the wrong way.

"I certainly am not doing it for you," she said primly, pulling her towel closer around her in the cool night air.

"Of course not," he agreed coldly.

She sighed as she reached her room. She'd changed in the stalls of the building next to the hot springs before she came back, and she was suddenly rather exhausted. Heading towards the bed she made a face at the blanket folded nicely on top of the covers and shoved it onto the floor before crawling in.

She'd already dozed off a bit when she was woken up to Shunsui entering the room. He moved around a bit in the dark and she heard him sigh heavily. "You can turn on a light if you need," she said tiredly. "I was just barely asleep."

"I'm fine," he said, and she heard cloth rustling as he stripped down to his usual sleepwear.

She murmured an agreement and rolled onto her side closing her eyes again.

"Are you really that angry with me?" he asked quietly.

Surprised by the question, she rolled back over to see him standing in the dark next to the bed holding the blanket she'd shoved onto the ground earlier. "What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Look, I only had sex in the hot springs once and it was way back when I was attending the academy. My brother just likes to think I'm getting it on in there whenever I visit."

"Shunsui," she said tiredly. "If I freaked out every time we were somewhere you'd had sex with someone else sometime in the past, I wouldn't be able to rise from bed due to exhaustion. I'm never happy hearing about it, but I'm not upset at you. I don't know why you even thought that."

"Because you put the blanket on the floor," he said, holding it up like it was proof. "You wanted me to sleep there."

"I shoved that blanket off the bed because it's the one your mother tried to give us earlier," she said lightly. It took a moment for the comment to set in, and then he dropped the thing like he'd been burned.

"Kami, you could have warned me," he said sounding sick.

She just laughed and tugged the covers back for him to crawl in beside her. "I didn't think I would have to."

"It's dark. How am I supposed to be able to tell?"

"Well, I told you to turn a light on," she pointed out.

"Ugh, I feel dirty," he groaned giving an overdramatic shiver. "What part of her brain thought it was alright to give that thing to us?"

"The part that wants grandchildren at any cost," Nanao said with a laugh as she curled into his warm side.

His mother had presented the blanket to them when she'd shown them to their room. She'd said it was a family heirloom that had been passed down since Shunsui's father's grandfather. When Shunsui had asked why he'd never heard or seen it before, she'd replied simply that he hadn't needed it before. Of course Shunsui, being Shunsui, had curiously pressed for further explanation and it had finally come out that his great-grandmother had sewn the thing while she was having problems conceiving, and the first night it was done and on his great-grandparent's bed she'd gotten pregnant. After that it'd been passed down at every immediate Kyouraku family wedding and had been doing a good job keeping the line going. They'd both stared at the thing in Shunsui's hands in horror until his mother added, "Well it obviously hasn't worked for Seichii, but I conceived you two boys just fine with it." To which Shunsui had turned very pale and had thrown the blanket in the corner. His mother had made a big fuss over it, and they'd both bolted from the room at the first opportunity they got.

"I wouldn't be able to even get turned on near that thing, knowing my parents and their parents before them had had sex all over it," he said.

"Well, I'm sure they washed it," Nanao said logically.

"You can't get that sort of thing out with a simple wash," he argued, pulling her closer to him for comfort. "She even made it sound like Seichii's used it."

"Your brother does conform to family traditions more than you do," she stated.

"If I get you pregnant, I'm doing it on fresh blankets that only you and I have slept on," he stated in a matter of fact tone.

"I'm ok with that," she said with a laugh. "Though like I said, not anytime soon."

"Oh don't you worry, I'll find other ways to keep you safely out of the field," he promised.

"You're an overprotective ass," she said sincerely. "What'd your brother want?"

"Mainly to yell at me for pointing out to our mother once again that he had no children, and then also to inform me that my father doesn't believe it is appropriate for you to attend the family function tomorrow as we're not married."

"Do I get to stay here then?" she asked excitedly.

"You could at least try to sound a little offended about it," he whined.

"Oh come on, Shunsui. You don't even want to go, that's why you dragged me along. I'd be more than happy to spend my day reading in the hot springs, while you attend your noble family reunion," she said happily.

"You should come to prove a point," he pouted.

"And what point would that be?" she asked with a small laugh. "The only reason you want me to come is to piss them off further and hope you get sent home."

"It's so boring though, Nanao-chan," he cried.

"Tough, your family, your problem," she replied gleefully. "Oh tomorrow is going to be absolutely wonderful. Do tell your brother and your father thank you for me."

"Oh that will go over real well, since they think they are punishing you for being a commoner," he said.

"Yes, whatever would I do surrounded by nobles?" she mocked. "I might make some terrible faux pas that my high society social life shall never recover from. Woe is I."

He tickled her side then until she gave a little shriek and wiggled away from him. "You are supposed to be on my side and come with," he huffed.

Still laughing she crawled back over to him and laid her head on his chest. "Poor baby," she cooed. "Does he have to face his big scary family all alone? However will he survive?"

"You make jokes, but when you go to visit your brother you just get to attend a drunken riot with a bunch of criminals, so you wouldn't know. You get to have fun at family events," he whined.

She laughed and snuggled closer to him. He'd been deeply upset the first time she'd stumbled home tipsy from visiting her brother and the Yakuza family he worked for out in the Rukongai. When she'd told him she was going to visit her brother that evening he'd thought it'd be like visiting his family, where you all sat around rather stiffly and the servants brought you dinner and tea. Given, he knew her and her brother were rather close and not in the least bit stiff with each other, but he'd still expected her to meet Mamoru for dinner, have a good talk, and come home. What he hadn't counted on was the Higurashi family considering itself extended family, and thus when she'd shown up they'd been in the middle of a party, band, dancing, drinking, and all. She'd had a good time, and when she'd left she'd decided to go to his place and had tripped over a pair of his sandals and broken a vase as she'd reached for something to steady herself when she fell. Of course, that had sent Kyouraku running to her side, but once he'd figured out she was just slightly drunk, he'd just been upset he hadn't been invited along. In her defense, she really hadn't thought it was going to be the entire yakuza family, so she hadn't left him out on purpose. She'd invited him along on subsequent visits, and she was pretty sure he fit in better with the Yakuza then she did.

"It's going to be awful, Nanao-chan, listening to the whole family politely insult each other and argue about money and such," he sighed and her head bobbed with the movement of his chest.

"Oh don't be so overdramatic," she said. "You'll last five minutes of that, and then you'll spend the rest of the day playing games with all your cousins' little children, and you'll be favorite Uncle Shunsui all over again."

Nanao had, over the hundred or so years she'd known him, attended some less formal Kyouraku family events where friends were invited, like weddings, birthdays, and some festivals. She usually spent most of them standing off to the side, as most of the adults in his family wanted little to do with a commoner, bemusedly watching Shunsui roll around and play chase with all the six year olds in his family. Often times she was roped into providing additional traps or special effects for the games by way of simple kido spells, and she'd had her own secret swell of pride when, years ago, the children had clamored for Shunsui to bring her back the next time, not that she'd ever admit that to him. She was very used to being the boring, slightly invisible one in the corner, and it'd been vaguely pathetic that she'd felt as pleased as she did that a bunch of children had wanted her back to play. Her Taicho had, of course, seen right through her, but had merely smiled and said that if she didn't politely agree to attend with him the next time, he'd drag her with him. It'd become a bit of a game itself with her refusing to attend, and him devising various ways to force her. This had all been before they'd started dating though, so she'd had much more anonymity from the adult side of his family, which she had discovered lately had been its own blessing.

"But what will our games be without kido traps and fire dragons lurking around every corner?" he whined. She'd figured out how to make some of her kido hold forms for short periods of time specifically for those children games, though she'd never admit it, and the children had been delighted when a red kido flame dragon and flown out of the bushes.

"I suppose you'll have to supply your own kido," she said smiling.

"Nanao-chan knows I'm too lazy," he replied. "Besides you're better at it then me."

"Well, I don't want to anger your father any further with my presence so I suppose you'll have to manage," she said.

"Liar, you just don't want to attend," Shunsui said with a sigh. "All the kids are going to be miserable too. They're going to force them into their best kimonos and make them sit still."

"I'm sure Uncle Shunsui, will get grass stains on them somehow," she said pushing herself up to grin down at him.

"Come with," he begged. "They won't make a scene until after if you just show up on my arm."

"I don't see what's in it for me," she replied still smiling.

"Your wonderful man's happiness isn't enough?"

"Give you a cup of sake and you're happy," she said. "It's not like it's a difficult thing to do. I'll make you happy some other time."

"I refuse," he said. "I'm going to stay unhappy forever if you don't come." He crossed his arms for emphasis and looked like a giant, scruffy, overgrown pouting six year old.

She laughed and leaned down to kiss the stubble on his cheek. "Somehow I don't believe you," she said. Then she trailed her lips down his throat and her hands across his chest, trying to hold down her chuckle when she felt him tense himself and try not to react to her. She leaned back again and threw a leg over him to straddle his middle and grinned down at him.

"I'm not going to be happy," he said petulantly. "I can't always be distracted by sex you know."

"You mean I have to do it all by myself tonight?" she asked pouting.

"I'm not going to crack," he said narrowing his eyes at her. "We can't even do anything, because my mother placed kido disruptors around the room so we can't use the kido contraceptive spell."

"I believe you were the one who taught me all the fun things we can do without having to worry about that," she said, smirking down at him as she rolled her hips once.

"You have to come with tomorrow," he said again.

"Not a chance," she replied happily. "I'm going to sit in the hot springs unmolested and read. Then at lunch I'll get out and eat some of that delicious food your cook whips up if you degrade yourself enough to enter the kitchen with the serving staff, and then it is right back out to the hot springs. After that, I may have some tea in the late afternoon and take a nap."

"No fair," he whined. "I want to do that too."

"Your family, you have to suffer," she said with a shrug. "In fact this may be the most convincing reason as to why I should never say yes to marrying you."

"Nanao-chan is cruel," he said glaring up at her. Then in one smooth movement he flipped them both over so he was pinning her to the bed, and she just grinned at him in return.

"You could always fake being sick," she offered.

"My mother would see through that," he sighed.

"Well then, you're stuck," she said helpfully. "Now are you really going to pout for the rest of the night? Because in that case I'm going to have my own fun and then go to sleep, so get off."

"Nanao-chan knows I'm not going to sit on the other side of the bed and listen to her play by herself," he said. "Though she is very naughty for thinking of doing as much in my parent's home."

"Says the man who harassed me until I said yes the first time we stayed with them after we got together," she said rolling her eyes. "You are constantly degrading my moral standing."

"Hmm, and it's so much fun," he said leaning down to kiss her.

"Put the blanket on the bed," his mother's voice called through the door. Shunsui basically collapsed on top of her and pressed his face into her neck.

"Please tell me I just hallucinated that," he said.

"Oh, don't fuss so much," his mother called. "I've only been here for a few moments. Just enough to know you aren't a total waste and won't let a woman take care of herself."

"And everyone wonders why I drink?" he grouched.

"Don't mind me," his mother called again. "I'm leaving. Just make sure to stay warm under lots of blankets tonight!" Her footsteps moved away from the door, but neither of them moved.

"Can we both agree the mood was official killed?" Nanao asked running her hands through his hair.

"Stabbed through the gut with a giant zanpaktou," he concurred.

"Well, get off, you're heavy," she said with a laugh. He rolled over and she curled into his side.

"Nanao-chan is still mean, leaving me alone with them," he pouted, curling his arm around her and dragging her closer.

"I'll make it up to you when we go home," she said yawning.

"I'll hold you to that," he said firmly.

"Goodnight, Shunsui," she said lightly.

"Goodnight, sweet Nanao-chan," he replied. "Goodnight, Mom!" he yelled.

They heard a shuffling in the hall, but no other signal that anyone had still been out there.

"Your family makes mine look normal," Nanao said.

"I have an idea. You ask me to marry you, and I'll marry into your side of the family instead," he said.

She just laughed. "You're an idiot."

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**A/N: So here's the start of what is sure to be another long story. Hope you all like it, and as always reviews help me keep writing :)**


	2. Respect

"You really aren't coming?" he whined. The dark haired woman shifted unhappily in the bed and chucked a pillow at him.

"No," she said. "I'm not allowed. Now go away before your mother comes back."

His mother had stormed their room bright and early, knowing Shunsui's tendency to sleep through, well anything. She'd started by ripping the blankets off of him and opening the curtains, and then moved on to shoving him off the bed and threatening to gather all the girls he'd slept with in academy together and introducing them to Nanao one by one. Nanao, for her part, had sat up in the bed, moved her legs when his mother had to climb up on it to shove him off, and watched all of this happen with an amused face before going back to sleep once his mother had marched him into the bathroom. His mother had left with a threat to call that nice masked Taicho gentleman and ask him to experiment with ways to get her lazy son into gear, if he wasn't ready to go in an hour.

"Please, Nanao-chan," he whimpered.

She cracked an eye open to look at him and then turned her back to him. "No."

"So mean," he said. "I'll go with you to your next family event if you come to this one."

"You beg to go to my so called family events," she said.

"Nanao-chan, what are you going to do if I don't survive and never come back? Then you'll have to mourn and blame yourself for the rest of your life for my untimely death," he said.

"I'm sure I'll get over it, sir," she said yawning.

"I hate when you do that," he said with a touch of harshness in his tone. She still had the habit of calling him Taicho or sir, and it drove him up the wall. He understood that she had a point when she said she'd called him it for a hundred or so years and still did in the office so it was hard to change now, but he still didn't like it. It made him feel like he was taking advantage of his position, and as much as he knew it wasn't like that, he didn't like being reminded that they had a relationship outside of the romantic sense.

He'd had women call him Taicho in relationships in the past, because that's what did it for them, but they'd never been long term, and it'd definitely not been a turn on for him. He was willing to use his position to get casually laid, but he never wanted it to be the actual reason a woman he loved wanted him. It was similar to why he despised the noble women that went after him just for his family name and title. Again, he hadn't minded sleeping with them and having some fun, but he'd never wanted to be married to any of them. As much as he knew Nanao didn't ever mean it that way, or have any interest whatsoever in his position or family ranking, it irked him whenever she called him by his titles outside of work.

"Sorry, Shunsui," she said honestly, turning back over to face him. "Look, the faster you go, the faster it will be over with. Then I can fake a migraine, and you can take me home to the Seireitei, and it will be over for another year."

"Will you stay at my place if we do that?" he asked pouting. They'd been together for a while, but Nanao had still stubbornly insisted on keeping her own residence. She'd been weakening as of late though, and he had a feeling that he'd be able to convince her in the next couple months or so.

She laughed outright at him. "Are you still afraid of Boo?"

"You're cat is a demon sent from hell to punish me for all the mistakes I've made in my life," he grumbled.

She just laughed harder at him, and he made a put out face. "He doesn't attack you in your sleep anymore so that's a step in the right direction."

"I still have scratch marks on my leg from the last time I was over," he pointed out.

"Well that was your own fault," she said grinning brilliantly. "You shouldn't have distracted me with a kiss right when I was about to put his breakfast down for him. Obviously breakfast comes before kissing in Boo's world."

"It's a monster that cannot be reasoned with," Shunsui complained. "I do everything I can to win it over and it never works. I even bought it all that catnip."

"You just did that so he'd be stoned out of his mind and leave you alone," she said. "He could feel the intentions behind the gift were not altruistic, and it didn't help anything the time you spiked his milk with kami knows what, and he was sleepy for a week."

"It's not fair! I'm trying, I am, and then Jyuu does nothing, and when he's over the demon curls up in his lap and purrs. It likes your brother just fine too, so you can't use that 'it hates all men' crap."

"You are so tortured," she said in mock sincerity. "If I were you, I'd just dump me and not put up with my evil cat anymore."

"Never," he said leaning down to kiss her. "Yuck, Nanao-chan has morning breath."

She grabbed her remaining pillow and smacked him over the head with it. "Well, I certainly didn't ask you to kiss me!"

"So cranky in the morning," he commented.

"Shunsui-kun! You better be making your way out here," his mother's voice echoed through the house.

He groaned and glanced at the door. This was going to be highly painful.

"I have Rangiku feeding Boo tonight and tomorrow morning too, as I didn't think we'd be coming back until tomorrow afternoon," Nanao said. "So we could just not tell anyone we're back, and I'll stay with you."

He knew she just caved to cheer him up, but he couldn't deny it worked. "Nanao-chan has to keep her promise about making it up to me when we get home."

"Pervert," she chastised half-heartedly.

"Enjoy the hot springs and your book, love," he said kissing the crown of her head.

"Mmm hmm," she agreed nestling back down into the bed and her pillow. He smiled indulgently and tucked the blanket in more firmly around her before exiting the room.

She'd relaxed quite a bit in his presence over the past year and a half, and he had to admit he liked the changes. He knew that half of it was because she wasn't worried about her father finding her anymore and knew her brother was safe and sound, but he liked to think the other part of it was some of his effect on her.

He especially liked to take credit for occasionally getting her to sleep in now. She'd never slept for a healthy amount in the past. He also enjoyed being able to force her to eat whenever he thought it was necessary. Everyone thought she was the one that did all the caring and mothering in the relationship, but that just meant they didn't know how hard she liked to push herself when left to her own devices. She could take care of everyone around her with admirable ease, but often forgot to factor her own well being into the equation. It was half the reason he'd dragged her with him. While it wasn't totally selfless, he did enjoy having a buffer from his family, he also knew she felt like his family was his problem and didn't feel the need to intervene or put things to right. Well, at least as long as they weren't giving him too hard of a time. She didn't take well to his father and brother insulting his character. Given, her times with his family were also by far more stressful now that his mother had taken an active interest in her, as opposed to ignoring what before had just been his subordinate officer, but still he took the brunt of the annoyance here, and it seemed to amuse her so it at least added some slight benefit to putting up with his family.

"You're late," his father bit out coldly.

"Yare, yare, Daddy-chan," he said lightly. "Keep making that face and it will stick that way. Or has it already?"

His father narrowed his eyes at him and his brother rolled his eyes next to him. "Oh good!" Shunsui exclaimed. "It's not too late! It isn't stuck yet!"

"Shunsui, stop being a child," his mother chastised.

"But if I stop being what I am, then whatever shall I be?" he asked quizzically. "Perhaps a dog, so I can sleep all day and get my belly rubbed?"

"If only you'd been born mute," his brother said as their father turned and started walking in the direction of the family temple where everyone would be meeting.

"You don't have to try and be annoying," his mother muttered.

"Of course not, but it's by far more fun," he commented and started to whistle a tune that was sure to give his father a tick.

"I know you're upset that they requested Nanao-san not come," his mother said as they trailed behind the other two men. "But it's only going to be family. If you'd hurry up and convince her to marry you it wouldn't be an issue."

"Except that they'd still treat her like a second class citizen because she dosen't come from a noble family," he pointed out darkly.

"That's just the way it is, Shunsui," his mother said with a shrug. "No use getting upset over it. It's not like they'll stop you from marrying her. They know the state of the family just as well as anyone else."

"Well it hardly matters either way as she continues to say no," he said, waving a dismissive hand at her and not wanting to get into family politics.

"Why is that?" his mother asked, almost to herself. "You've got a good job, a good family name, and enough money to do practically anything you like. What's not to want to marry?"

"Nanao-chan hardly cares about any of the things you've listed, and she may or may not have witnessed me screw around with hundreds of women in just her lifetime," he commented dryly. "It creates a slight trust issue."

"Well you haven't screwed around in the last year and a half have you?" his mother asked looking at him sharply.

"Of course not," he answered.

"Then I don't understand her hesitance," his mother pouted looking dramatically put out.

"She doesn't see any reason to rush," Shunsui said with a shrug. When his mother wasn't busy being crazy, she wasn't so bad to talk to. "She says if I'm serious about staying with her forever then we have all the time in the world. She doesn't think putting a legal binding contract on it makes a relationship anymore legitimate."

"Except that it does," his mother supplied. "And besides it isn't about you leaving, it's about her leaving. You aren't getting any younger. You need to trap her now."

"Lovely way of putting it, mother," he said dryly.

"Well if she doesn't care whether she's married or not, but knows that it would make you happy, then she should just do it since it doesn't matter one way or another to her. It'd be a small sacrifice," she said.

"I don't care," he replied honestly. "Whatever makes her happy is fine with me. As long as she has no intention of going anywhere, then I'm fine as we are."

"Shunsui, you know there are reasons," his mother said and he heard the stress in her voice.

"You worry too much," he said nonchalantly. "We've been fine for this long, I don't know why it would suddenly get out now."

"It'd be safer, though," she started.

"Mom, I'm not going to force Nanao into doing anything she doesn't want to do," he said firmly. "So lay off."

"Isn't her family upset that she's living like a trollop?" she demanded.

"Her family isn't quite as judgmental as mine," he said sincerely, "and simply wants to see her happy. Besides her brother probably agrees more with Seichii and father on my character than with her."

That wasn't altogether true. Mamoru had always treated him politely, but there was no love lost between them. As long as Kyouraku kept his baby sister happy, Mamoru seemed to be more than willing to allow the relationship to progress however it may, but Kyouraku had no delusions that her brother would remain civil if he ever did anything to wrong the man's little sister. Beyond that, at least Mamoru didn't just dislike him on some abstract principle as his family did with her. Mamoru disliked him because he thought his sister could do better, which was probably true.

"So then it's the brother stopping her from marrying you," his mother said, and her eyes got that glint Shunsui had learned to avoid. "You said he works out of the Rukongai didn't you, darling?"

"Stay away from her brother," Shunsui demanded. "He isn't the reason she says no, but if he ever meets you I'm sure he'll start being swayed that way. He's the only reason she agreed to date me in the first place, so leave him out of this."

"But you just said he dislikes you," she replied confused.

"I also said he likes to see his sister happy," he replied.

"Well whether you want to believe it or not, you can't do everything the lazy way," his mother said with a sniff. "Even though your brother hasn't produced any children at least he's tried."

Shunsui just laughed. "Pitting us against each other in competition ceased to work years ago."

"At least on you," his mother agreed with a sigh.

"Can we talk about something else?" Shunsui asked lightly.

"How is Jyuushiro-kun?" his mother asked.

"He's doing alright," Shunsui answered sincerely.

One of the things he'd always respected in his mother was her kindness to his best friend. His brother had taken an instant and violent disliking to the other man, and his father hadn't cared one way or another except to comment that the Ukitakes barely counted as nobility at all. His mother, on the other hand, while not treating him as a third son, had at least been nice to Jyuushiro and taken an interest in his life. His mother's blood related family and Jyuushiro's had lived in relatively the same area of the country, so she'd been at least acquainted with his mother before the two boys met at academy. She'd also had enough sense to put together their growing friendship with Shunsui's rise in grades. Shunsui had been sent to the academy as a last resort to get him into some kind of proper shape, and he'd spent most of the first year sleeping through classes, attending parties on the weekend, and failing out.

He'd gotten to know Jyuushiro quite by accident. It was a rule that for the first couple years of academy everyone lived in the barracks, and for the nobles who found this unacceptable, they at least had to have one other roommate. The Kyouraku family, of course, had to have their son in one of the more private rooms, which had worked out just fine for Shunsui as it was incredibly difficult to talk a girl into your bed if there were ten other beds in the room and no lock on the door. In fact, bringing girls back and stumbling in drunk, was exactly what had made his first roommate request a room change. He couldn't even remember the kid's name to be honest, just that he'd been a minor noble from one of the outer territories. Shunsui had always referred to him in his head simply as the weasel. The boy had had the features of one and always seemed to be muttering to himself about something or other. In fact, Shunsui had been pretty sure getting laid would have done the boy a world of good, but he couldn't blame the women for not wanting to do the task.

Either way, his old roommate's departure had left the room blissfully to himself for a few weeks, until Yama-jii had pulled him into his office, told him to shape up or get the hell out of his school, and then informed him he'd have a new roommate within the week. Shunsui had not been considerably concerned about being thrown out of the academy. His family had been donating quite a bit of money to keep him there, and he'd learned throughout his lifetime, that money got you everywhere.

Ukitake Jyuushiro had walked in on Shunsui studying healing spells with an upperclassman. At least, that was the way Shunsui always liked to tell it. If Jyuushiro was ever asked, he always replied that the first thing he ever saw of Shunsui was his bare ass, and it wasn't pretty. Shunsui had honestly hoped at the time, although the introduction hadn't been planned that way, that the new roommate would turn around, walk right back out, and demand a room change. As it was the white haired boy had turned bright red and whipped around to exit the room, but had been so flustered he'd walked into the wall, which had alerted Shunsui and the girl to his presence. The girl had screamed and scrambled to throw her clothes on before bolting from the room.

"Who the hell are you?" Shunsui had demanded while pulling on a pair of pants. He'd been trying to get that particular girl into his bed for weeks, and hadn't been pleased at her abrupt departure.

"Ukitake Jyuushiro," the boy had introduced himself, still faintly pink. "I'm sorry about that, I didn't think anyone would be here at two in the afternoon. Don't you have classes?"

"Don't you?" he'd shot back.

"I was given the day off to move in," Ukitake had explained.

"I was given the day off because there was a beautiful woman that needed some stress release," Shunsui had said sarcastically.

"I am sorry," Ukitake had apologized. "I should have knocked. I'll apologize to your girlfriend too the next time I see her."

"She's not my girlfriend," Kyouraku had denied quickly. If that rumor got started he'd get turned down left and right. There were quite a few girls who wouldn't sleep with you if they thought you were committed to someone else.

"Oh," the boy had replied stupidly, obviously not sure how to respond to that

comment.

"So you're the roommate Yama-jii sent," he'd said finally tugging a shirt on. "What'd you do to piss him off?"

"I beg your pardon?" Ukitake had asked confused.

"You must have done something to piss the old geezer off if he put you with me," Shunsui had commented stretching.

"He did my family a favor," the white haired boy had admitted looking embarrassed. "My mother wanted me to have a private room due to my health, but we couldn't exactly afford it."

"A favor," Shunsui had snorted. Looked like it'd be an easy task to scare this kid off too. He looked less intimidating than even the weasel had. "What's wrong with your health?"

"I have coughing fits sometimes," Ukitake had said, dropping his bag on the other bed. "It's really not that bad. My mother is just overprotective."

"As long as you're not going to keel over on me," Shunsui had said with a shrug. "Ladies don't find that attractive in the least."

That had been the longest conversation they'd had for the first month of living together. The rest of it their interaction had been restricted to Ukitake getting up and going to classes, returning to study, and awkwardly trying to find other places to be when Shunsui brought girls back. For Shunsui's part, he'd spent most of his days like he always had, sleeping, drinking, and picking up girls. The boy had put up so little fight that he'd honestly almost forgotten he had a roommate, which worked out just fine for him.

It wasn't until semester finals had rolled around that anything notable had happened. Shunsui had been out drinking and met a girl he'd been with a few times before. The bars had been remarkably empty, as most students were busy studying for their academy tests, so he'd figured he didn't have any better options that night.

The two of them had stumbled back to his room laughing about something or other, and Shunsui had finally gotten the lock on his door undone. He'd ignored his roommate sitting at one of the two desks in the room and moved towards his bed with the girl under his arm. He'd muttered a 'don't mind us' in Ukitake's direction and been glad he'd chosen that particular girl, as she wouldn't care one way or another if there was another person in the room.

They'd tumbled into the bed as Ukitake had cleared his throat rather loudly. "Er, Kyouraku-san," the boy had finally said. "Do you mind doing this somewhere else or on another night? Usually I don't mind, but they closed the library early due to one of the students having a mental breakdown and setting some of the aisles on fire."

"So go somewhere else," Kyouraku had said with a shrug, running his fingers up the girl's side and making her laugh.

"Kyouraku-san, nothing is open this late. I really need to study for this tactical test tomorrow," Ukitake had said more firmly.

"You'll be fine," Kyouraku had said barely paying attention. "All you do is study." The girl had latched on to his neck, and he had smiled and refocused on her.

"Kyouraku-san, I must protest," Ukitake had replied, trying to stay polite. "I'm only asking for one night."

"I've heard that before," the girl had giggled, and Shunsui had laughed along with her.

"Me too," he'd smiled flipping the girl over in his bed.

"Kyouraku-san," Ukitake had continued.

"Oh, go tell a teacher if it bothers you so much," he'd said, intent on ignoring the other boy for the rest of the night.

"Kyouraku, I mean it," the white haired boy had said darkly. "You might not care whether you waste the rest of your life, but I have things to do, and I'm not going to let some spoiled noble brat ruin it for me. If all you want to do is screw around, then you might as well go back to your family and lounge around in leisure. I'm sure they'll make you an appropriate arranged marriage and you can spend the rest of your life cheating with the maids, but don't waste everyone else's time who actually want to do something with their future."

"What the hell do you know?" Shunsui'd demanded, standing up and forgetting the girl in his bed quickly. He hated when people thought he was like all the other nobles. Didn't he do everything a noble didn't do? Wasn't his family ashamed to call him their son? How dare this kid think he was anything like them.

"I know that the only reason anyone puts up with you is because of your last name and your money," Ukitake had said, obviously having been pushed to the edge. "Including three quarters of the girls you sleep with. Take those away and no one would ever be bothered to look at you twice."

"You don't know anything about me," Kyouraku said angrily.

"Whose fault is that? Besides, I don't have to know anything about you. You are just like every other pretentious self-righteous noble who thinks the world should bow to them just because they were born into privilege."

"I'm not like them," Kyouraku had said and let his reiatsu flare. He'd also learned that any protest was easily squashed with a brief show of power. He'd put down more than enough servants his father sent to talk to him in just the same fashion.

Surprisingly Ukitake had simply raised an eyebrow and stood up out of his chair taking no notice of the increased pressure. Kyouraku had frowned and kicked it up another notch.

"Excuse me," Ukitake had said, pressing Shunsui's shoulder and having him take a step to the left. Kyouraku had watched him in confusion, not bothering to reel his reiatsu in. The white haired boy had reached his hand out, helping the girl in Shunsui's bed stumble to her feet, and had supported her as he'd helped her walk to the door. Obviously Kyouraku's reiatsu had had an effect on someone. The boy had helped her outside and given her a brief apology for their rudeness and asked if she could get home all right. She'd given a shaky nod and taken off.

Then Ukitake had shut the door and turned back to Kyouraku and let his own reiatsu flare brilliantly. It'd amped up to match Kyouraku's in a moment. Shunsui had simply raised an eyebrow and kicked his up another notch.

"Is this how you usually win a fight?" Ukitake had asked sighing. He had however also matched his power to Shunsui's own again.

"Haven't lost yet," Kyouraku had said simply, which hadn't been altogether true. His mother had put him in his place several times throughout his lifetime, and he was sure Yama-jii would do the same if he'd ever been stupid enough to challenge him.

"Fine then," Ukitake had said exasperated. The next few minutes had been a silent war of raging reiatsus and while both boys were sweating neither were backing down or showing a lead.

A loud banging had started up on their door, but neither boy had shifted their attention. "Kyouraku, Ukitake," a stern voice had addressed through the door. It was one of the academy teachers. Kyouraku had recognized him as the history teacher only because that was one of the few teachers who had bothered to track him down and give him a hard time about not attending class. "Knock it off now. I don't know what's going on in there, but you're suffocating some of the new recruits. Stop now, or I'm breaking the lock off and coming in."

Shunsui had watched Ukitake, expecting the meek respectful boy to shut down the second a teacher was involved. Ukitake had merely stared back calmly and then, to Shunsui's surprise, had turned it up another level. Shunsui had matched him and couldn't stop the grin that graced his features. He was surprised to find he was having fun. He hadn't flexed his own spiritual muscle in quite some time, and it felt good to let loose with someone that didn't balk or fold instantly.

"I mean it, knock it off now," the teacher had yelled again.

"I have studying to do," Ukitake had said plainly, although it was evident it wasn't because he was worried about matching Shunsui.

"Well, you got your wish as the girl is gone," Shunsui had pointed out.

"You still snore like a bear," Ukitake had replied.

"I suppose I could stay up and do some reading for a while," Shunsui had said shrugging one shoulder.

"That would be appreciated," Ukitake had answered calmly.

"Whatever you need," Shunsui had said sarcastically. By some unknown signal both boys had snapped their reiatsus under control simultaneously.

"Yamamoto-sensei will be hearing about this," the teacher had threatened.

"Oh go away, we need to study," Shunsui had called good-naturedly.

The teacher had left grumbling, and Ukitake had quickly gone back to his desk. Shunsui had appraised the boy once more silently and then pulled down one of his own books. Contrary to popular belief, he did enjoy reading, he just didn't like it getting around that he did and thus didn't do it in public.

By some miracle, Shunsui had passed the semester just barely. It helped that, unlike many of the Rukongai kids in school, he'd had private tutors since he was a child and also a natural talent for bullshitting. Ukitake had passed too, finding that in the second semester Shunsui had taken to reading silently while Ukitake studied. What had begun that night hadn't been a friendship, but it had at least been respect, and it had been a start.

"Uncle Shunsui," a small voice called, bringing Shunsui back to the present. He glanced down at one of his cousin's kids and realized that they'd made it to the meeting place and all the adults were politely greeting each other.

"Yuji-kun," he greeted the child pleasantly. The boy shifted, looking uncomfortable in his formal kimono. Shunsui sighed remembering his own youth forced into uncomfortable clothes.

"Is Ise-san going to come too?" the boy asked looking around.

Yuji had become particularly attached to Nanao the last time she'd come with him. Yuji had a talent for kido, but was smaller than most boys his age and picked on because of it. While he was no where near the talent level Nanao had had as a child, she'd still patiently taught him a few simple spells, and it'd been enough to protect himself from some of the larger bullies. "Not today, Yuji-kun," Shunsui said apologetically.

"Oh," the little boy said looking disappointed.

"Your uncle isn't good enough?" he asked, giving the boy an overdramatic pout.

"Oh, no! You're really good too!" the boy said eagerly. "But mom said we aren't allowed to play in our nice clothes," he added, nodding over at his parents where his two little sisters stood looking equally uncomfortable in their tiny kimonos.

Shunsui scanned all the children looking downcast and bored. Some of the older children were trying to look mature and interested as they all entered the temple, but all the younger children looked just as miserable as he imagined he used to. "You know what, Yuji-kun?" he said offhandedly. "I saw a hill that looked just wonderful for rolling down on the way here. I don't imagine your parents could get too mad if I went down first." The boy grinned up at him and he winked. "I'll race you there after we are done in the temple. Spread the word to all the others."

The boy bounced off, considerably happier, and ignored it when his mother yelled after him not to run. This family event might be fun after all, Shunsui thought. Then he fully planned on getting Nanao and going back to the Seireitei. Just a few more hours to go.

* * *

**A/N: More Ukitake love for everyone :) I'm so happy everyone is excited for the sequel. Hopefully I can live up to expectations. I only got the chance to edit this once as I have to catch a train out to my family's for Easter, but I tried to catch the big errors. As always, please review!**


	3. Ratsoup

Jyuushiro sighed as he moved through his garden. It'd been awfully nice of his third seats to want to help him plant, but it'd created the most happenstance garden he'd ever walked through in his life. He wondered vaguely if it was worth trying to fix. He sighed again and deciding he had nothing better to do that day, started heading for the Seireitei wall. There was a small garden shop in the 1st district that always had the best plants. He'd pick them up this evening and then spend the next day putting things to right.

He was walking through the gate into the first district as two familiar figures were walking up. The woman pushed the man's face away as he tried to kiss her and laughed. "Shunsui, Nanao-san," Jyuushiro called easily, smiling at his oldest friend and the dark haired woman he'd come to care deeply for over the years.

"Jyuu!" Shunsui exclaimed, bouncing up to him like an over excited puppy. "Where are you going?"

"Picking up some plants to fix my garden," he commented. "Aren't you back early?"

"Nanao-chan has a terrible life-threatening headache," Shunsui said happily.

"Are you alright?" Jyuushiro asked, glancing over at the woman.

"Oh, I'm in terrible pain," Nanao said sarcastically. "Or at least just enough to return to the Seireitei a night early."

"Family troubles again?" Jyuushiro asked rhetorically.

"My mother tried to make us sleep on the blanket she conceived me on," Shunsui said shuddering.

"That's a new one," he said, honestly surprised.

"It was awful," his friend whined. "I even accidentally touched it."

"Like I said, I'm sure it's been washed," Nanao added laughing.

"Do you see how she likes to laugh at my pain, Jyuu-kun?" his friend pouted.

"You should definitely break up with her," Jyuushiro suggested, smiling over at Nanao. "I'll be sure to provide her a shoulder to cry on."  
"You're always so kind, Jyuushiro-san," she said grinning back. It'd taken him a while to convince her to call him by his first name, and she still only did it in casual situations, but he was happy she finally would. Dating Shunsui had loosened her up a bit, and Jyuushiro was of the opinion that it was a good thing.

"I refuse," Shunsui said, grabbing the woman around her waist and sticking his tongue out at Jyuushiro. "Get your own."

"Why is your kimono covered in grass stains?" Jyuushiro asked curiously, ignoring his two friends' antics as Nanao tried to wiggle out of Shunsui's arms.

"Because someone thought it'd be a good idea to convince all the children in his family to go rolling down a giant grass hill," Nanao said rolling her eyes.

"It was an excellent idea," Shunsui replied, grinning down at the woman. "I only wish you'd been there so I could have tumbled you down with me."

"We could have left an hour earlier if you hadn't had to listen to your father's lecture," she pointed out. "By the end of that thing, I really was getting a headache."

"Poor, sweet, Nanao-chan," Shunsui said laughing. "I shall have to nurse you back to health. I know just the cure, and it's in my bedroom."

"You're a pervert," she said shoving him off of her. "Your friend is a pervert," she added to Jyuushiro.

"I should tell you about the time I caught him with our math teacher when they were serving pudding in the cafeteria," Jyuushiro commented offhandedly.

"Don't you dare," Shunsui threatened looking horrified.

"This I've got to hear," Nanao said, wrapping her arm through Jyuushiro's and starting them both back towards the 1st district that she and Shunsui had just come out of.

"Nanao-chan doesn't need to hear these things," Shunsui said, trailing after them and looking grumpy.

"I always told you one day I'd get even for all the torture you put me through during the academy," Jyuushiro replied happily.

"She was a very young professor," Shunsui commented sulkily. "Jyuushiro-kun, you are going to hurt my Nanao-chan's perception of me."

At this both Jyuushiro and Nanao started to laugh. "I think my perception of you pretty much went down the drain the night I found you drunkenly reciting love poetry to a horse when I was your 6th seat."

"I don't even remember that," Shunsui protested sullenly.

"You wouldn't," she said shrugging. "You were blackout drunk. You also spent most of the walk home lecturing me about how men would say anything to get a woman into bed and how I shouldn't trust any of them."

"I never," he defended.

"You did," she argued confidently. "Told me that, for example, if you were trying to get me into bed you'd give me flowers, compliment me on my eyes, and tell me you'd write a sonnet about them. Which you then proceeded to do, sober, twenty years later."

"That's why you hit me so hard!" Shunsui said surprised. "And refused to talk to me for a week."

"A week was being kind," she said tossing her head. "Now tell me this story, Jyuushiro-san."

"On second thought, I don't think I want Shun drinking copious amounts and sleeping in my home for the next few weeks while he mopes about how you aren't speaking to him," Jyuushiro said smiling.

"Oh please?" she begged.

"I'll make sure to drink until I throw up all over your new garden too," Shunsui threatened.

"I'll call his mother and have her come get him," Nanao offered.

"I'll tell my mother you're looking for a wife and need her help," Shunsui countered.

"I think I'd prefer my garden vomit free and my life without his mother's interference," Jyuushiro said calmly. "Sorry, Nanao-san."

"There's my wonderful bestest best friend," Shunsui said, tackling Jyuushiro from behind and hooking an arm around his neck.

"If you even contemplate giving me a noogie, I will hurt you," Jyuushiro said lightly.

"Would I ever?" Kyouraku asked innocently, releasing his hold on Jyuushiro.

"You are such a bad liar," Jyuushiro commented shaking his head. "Now I have to hurry or the store will close."

"Let us know if you need help planting tomorrow," Nanao said kindly as she avoided the arm Shunsui tried to place around her shoulders.

"Thank you," he replied. "I'm sure I'll be fine."

"You know where we are if you need us," Shunsui added.

"Hiding out from Nanao-san's cat at your place?" Jyuushiro asked innocently. The woman laughed and Shunsui pouted.

"I'm not scared of that little monster," he defended.

"And we all believe you." Nanao soothed, giving Shunsui a quick chaste kiss on the cheek. "You aren't afraid of cute little innocent Boo in the least."

"Cute and innocent, sure," his best friend grumbled. "We'll leave you to your shopping then."

"Enjoy your evening," Jyuushiro said smiling. Nanao said a polite good bye and the two started back towards the Seireitei gate. Shunsui continued to try to get an arm around her as she danced away, and when they finally got to the gate he ultimately got a hold of her, threw her over his shoulder as she gave a small shriek, and then shunpoed away.

Jyuushiro shook his head and continued to stroll into the 1st district. Even a year ago Nanao would have still kido blasted his friend for man handling her like that. He was happy for both his friends. They'd been putting off the inevitable for years, and it was good to have Nanao less frightened of a dark past that no one had been aware she was shouldering. It had also made Shunsui more light hearted, although no one who didn't know him well would have said Shunsui had ever not been light hearted to begin with. As it was, Jyuushiro knew Shunsui very well and had seen the change in his friend quite clearly.

When he'd first met Shunsui he'd thought he was like every other self important noble he'd ever met. Being one of the lesser noble families, Jyuushiro had been right on the edge of where he'd had to attend noble events, and yet was only there to be looked down upon by the other higher-ranking nobles. He'd been forced to be Shunsui's roommate after his mother had begged and pleaded with Yamamoto to get him a private room due to his health. The first few months had been spent trying to ignore his increasingly annoying, playboy drunkard of a roommate. When they'd finally had a fight, mutual disgust had turned into tolerance, but not much more than that.

It wasn't until a family day was held at the academy that Jyuushiro had seen anything even vaguely redeeming in his roommate. His mother and all of his younger siblings had shown up on his doorstep unannounced, and his first thought had been how to hide his slovenly roommate who was currently passed out hung over and naked in the bed on the opposite side of the room.

"Er, Mom, I didn't know you were coming," Jyuushiro had said, glancing over his shoulder. "Give me a moment." He'd shut the door and hurried around the room trying to shove some of his roommate's clothes and junk under the desk and bed. Then he shoved Kyouraku's shoulder hard. The other boy just groaned and rolled over shoving his head under a pillow. Thinking fast Jyuushiro had taken the glass of water next to his own bed, jerked the pillow away, and dumped it over the brown haired boy's head.

"What the hell?" Kyouraku had yelled, jerking upright.

"Look, I know you don't care about anyone else, but my family is here and I need you to at least put some clothes on," Ukitake had explained quickly.

"Why are they here?" Kyouraku had asked as he winced and rubbed his hand over his face.

"It's family day at the academy," Ukitake had said, glancing at the door and wishing his roommate would move faster. "I didn't think they were coming, or I would have warned you. Look, I'll find somewhere else to sleep for a week, all I'm asking is that you aren't a total ass."

"Yare, yare," Kyouraku had grumbled. "Calm down." The boy had stood up and started pulling on an academy uniform slowly. "Do you have any painkiller?"

"Here," Ukitake had said shoving some pills in his roommates hand. Kyouraku took them dry and moved to slip on a shirt as Ukitake had gone back to the door.

"Shiro-chan, what's taking so long?" his mother had asked, adjusting one of his younger sisters on her hip.

"Sorry, Mom, had to clean up a little," Jyuushiro had said.

"Oh, Shiro-chan, have you been having troubles keeping everything in order? I knew I should have visited sooner," his mother had commented looking worried.

"No, really I'm fine! Just a few clothes lying about was all," Jyuushiro had lied. His mother had always been overprotective due to his health, and the academy was the first time he had even remotely been on his own. He wasn't about to give her any reason to take him home now.

"If they're giving you too much work, you should really let me know," his mother had said, trying to look over his shoulder into the room. At this point, she'd started edging past him into the room, and one of his little brothers had bolted in between his legs. All he could do was hope Kyouraku hadn't vomited all over and passed back out.

"Oh, hello, you must be Shiro-chan's roommate," his mother had said as she entered the room fully.

"Ukitake-sama," Kyouraku had replied giving her a respectful bow. Oh kami, Jyuushiro'd thought, he must still be drunk. "Pleasure to meet you ma'am."

"Oh, no need to be so formal," his mother had said waving a hand at his roommate and blushing lightly. "What's your name dear?"

"Shunsui," his roommate had introduced himself, and Jyuushiro had wondered briefly at the lack of a last name. That was until he'd noticed one of his little brothers digging through his roommate's pile of manga. His fear had been two fold, one that his little brother would bend up the books, and two that his roommate's pile probably contained more hentai than he wanted to think about.

"Toshiaki, don't touch things that aren't yours," Jyuushiro had reprimanded lightly, getting a hold of his seven year old brother's hand.

"It's fine," Kyouraku had replied easily. He'd reached into the pile and pulled out two or three books, which he'd stuck up on a high shelf and then had said, "You can take whatever you like from those. I've read them all." Toshiaki had instantly dived back for the manga. Their family didn't have tons of money, and since their father had died a year ago his mother had focused all their expenses on necessary things. Being allowed manga was a rare treat for the boy.

"You really don't mind?" his mother had asked looking apprehensive.

"Not at all. He can have them all if he likes," Kyouraku had said unconcerned.

"That's very kind of you," she'd said as some of Jyuushiro's other brother's had joined in digging through the pile. "You're lucky to have such a nice roommate Shiro-chan."

"Uh, yeah," Jyuushiro had agreed rather half-heartedly. "So this is it. We should probably get out of Kyouraku-san's hair. I could show you around the academy?"

"You're a Kyouraku?" his mother had asked, and Jyuushiro had been startled to see his roommate sigh.

"Yes, Kyouraku Shunsui at your service," Kyouraku had said with feigned cheerfulness, giving his mother a ridiculous bow.

"Oh my, are you Hana-sama's son?" his mother had asked looking surprised.

"You know my mother?" he'd asked curiously.

"We grew up in the same area," his mother had said lightly. "How is she?"

"Very well," Kyouraku had said formally. "I'll take her your regards. I'm sure she'll be pleased you remember her." That was when Jyuushiro had figured out that Kyouraku must have finally drank away part of his brain cells. This person talking to his mother was not his annoying self centered roommate, he was some strange impersonation of the impulsive boy.

"That's all very nice, but we should probably get out of Kyouraku-san's way," he'd commented as one of his younger sisters moved around to peer out at his roommate from behind his legs.

"Have you eaten yet dear?" his mother had asked Kyouraku politely.

"Not yet, Ukitake-san," Kyouraku had replied.

"Well then, you must join us all for lunch."

"Mom!" Jyuushiro had intercepted quickly. "You really shouldn't impose on him so much."

"I'd be happy to," Kyouraku had said smiling.

"Wonderful," his mother had answered happily, "Come along, everyone. Boys we can get the manga when we come back." Jyuushiro had watched two of his brothers reluctantly leave the piles of manga to join the other three and follow his mother out with his baby sister on her hip. His other sister had still been hiding behind his legs as he had glanced over at Kyouraku.

"What are you doing?" he'd hissed at his roommate.

"What? I'm hungry and I used all of my money on drinks last night," his roommate had explained with a shrug.

"I won't allow you to be rude to my family," Jyuushiro had said seriously.

"Do I look like I'm being rude?" Kyouraku had asked rolling his eyes. "You're just fun to annoy. I'm not going to be a jerk to a nice woman and a bunch of children. I've had etiquette beaten into me since the day I was born. I am capable of holding up a conversation."

"Be nice if you showed it more often," Jyuushiro had grumbled.

"It is such an awful effort though," Kyouraku had sighed dramatically before focusing on his younger sister. "And who might you be?"

"My name's Yuki-chan," his little sister had introduced, pressing more firmly into the back of Jyuushiro's legs.

"Yuki-chan being your given name?" Kyouraku had asked grinning down at her. "Does that mean that when people call you by a nickname they call out Yuki-chan-chan?"

"You're funny," the little girl had giggled.

"Well, Yuki-chan-chan, what are you doing back there?" Kyouraku had asked, winking at Ukitake.

"Hiding," the girl had explained bluntly. "I don't know if you're a good guy or a bad guy yet, and if you're a bad guy then my big brother will beat you up before you can get to me."

"Has he beat people up often?" Kyouraku had asked curiously.

"No," she'd said looking at him like he was an idiot. "My brother's a good guy, but he'd beat them up if they tried to hurt any of us. He's gotta lot of ratsoup."

"Reiatsu, you mean," Kyouraku had corrected gently.

"That's what I said," the little girl had replied with a snort.

Jyuushiro was surprised to hear Kyouraku laugh whole-heartedly. He'd heard his roommate laugh often, but it was usually that insipid laugh he used to get a girl in bed or to pretend he was even remotely interested in what she was saying. This laugh had been completely different, genuine. "Well, I have no intention of making your brother beat me up," Kyouraku had said smiling. "I'm a good guy after all."

"Are you sure?" Yuki had asked carefully.

"Are you lot coming?" his mother had called back from down the hall. It always took her a while to notice someone was missing with six boys and two girls.

"On our way," Jyuushiro had called back.

"I'm super sure," Kyouraku had nodded.

"Prove it," Yuki had demanded in her own audacious way.

"Yuki," Jyuushiro had reprimanded quickly.

"Yare, yare," Kyouraku had said. "Would a bad guy wear pink?"

Jyuushiro had looked up from chastising his little sister, only to find that his roommate had grabbed the pink yukata that one of his bedfellows must have left, and had draped it ridiculously over his shoulders. Jyuushiro just stared at the stranger before him in shock. Kyouraku Shunsui did stupid things all the time, but he rarely made himself look so completely uncool by doing them.

"If you take it off though, then you become a bad guy again," his sister had giggled.

"Yuki," Jyuushiro had said exasperated.

"Fine then Yuki-chan-chan, we need to hurry or your mother will leave without us," Kyouraku had replied easily.

Yuki had giggled again and darted out from behind Jyuushiro's legs to latch on to his roommate who had strolled out the door with the pink yukata fluttering behind him. Jyuushiro had stood there a moment in shock, wondering what the hell had just happened. Then he'd hurried to catch up and had hoped to survive the lunch.

"What are you doing?" Jyuushiro had demanded after they'd eaten, as all of them had strolled through the academy gardens. His younger siblings had been darting all around while his mother had tried to keep track of them in her own laughing way. Kyouraku had been pleasant and entertaining throughout lunch. He'd even done magic tricks for his youngest siblings and had let Yuki steal food right off his plate. Now they were in the gardens and he still had the pink yukata on, despite all the points and laughter from their fellow students and their families.

"I thought you told me not to be an ass," Kyouraku had said shrugging and then quickly reaching up to keep the pink material from fluttering away in the breeze.

"Yeah, but I didn't think you were actually capable of it," Jyuushiro had replied honestly.

"I like kids," Kyouraku had replied simply. "They don't expect you to be anything except fun. They're easy to get along with, and besides your mother is nice. Why would I be a jerk to her?"

"You're a jerk to a lot of nice people," Jyuushiro had snorted.

"Name one," Kyouraku had replied.

"Uh, all of our professors, all the women you sleep with, and me," Jyuushiro had listed, shocked that Kyouraku had even asked.

"I'm not a jerk to any of them. It's not my fault they keep expecting things out of me and then get pissed off when I let them down. I never lie. I never tell them I'm going to do something I'm not. If people build up their own expectations and they don't come true, then that's their problem not mine," Kyouraku had defended. "I didn't ask to be who I am."

"All I ask of you is that you're quiet occasionally and pick up your crap," Jyuushiro pointed out.

"And I've been better about it, so relax," Kyouraku had said shrugging.

"Don't you ever want to accomplish anything besides sleeping, screwing, or drinking?" Jyuushiro had asked boldly, considering his roommate had been in an uncharacteristically sharing mood. "Isn't that why you came here?"

"No," Kyouraku had said, looking even more distant than usual. "That's why you came here. I came here because I had to. Nothing less, nothing more."

"So what everyone else sees as an honor, you just see as a punishment?" Jyuushiro had demanded.

"Isn't it always like that?" Kyouraku had asked offhandedly.

"Good guy-kun," Yuki had yelled as she darted back to them and interrupted their conversation. "Toshiaki said there's no such thing as fairies. You have to tell him there are. He won't believe it if Shiro-nii tells him, because he says Shiro-nii will just lie to make me happy."

Jyuushiro's little brother had sulkily followed along behind his sister and glared defiantly up at his roommate. "Well of course there are fairies Yuki-chan-chan, but they hide in the flowers. You have to go over to the flowers and ask them very sweetly to come out."

Jyuushiro had raised an eyebrow at his roommate as his little sister went over, wide-eyed, to whisper to a bunch of flowers. Suddenly flickering glowing pink lights had seemed to appear from behind the stems and whirl into the air in a dance of their own. Yuki laughed delightedly and chased off after them as they swirled around the garden. Even Toshiaki had looked suitably impressed and darted after his sister.

"If you can do that spell so quickly and easily, why are you failing out of our kido class?" Jyuushiro had asked, looking at his roommate in surprise. It had been a delicate spell, and Jyuushiro had gotten the impression that, while his roommate obviously had a lot of reiatsu, he must only be able to wield it like a sledgehammer.

"Because that was fun," Kyouraku had replied simply. "Kido class is dull as hell, and I sleep through the tests that I show up for. Besides you won't see them teaching you that in kido class. All they are teaching you is how to destroy things. You're never going to make anyone laugh sending off a shot of red fire unless you screw it up."

"If you don't want to fight anything why are you here?" Jyuushiro had asked confused.

"Like I said, I'm here because I have nowhere else to go," Kyouraku had replied. He'd shifted his hand subtly and the firefly sparks he'd generated went shooting the other way as more children from other visiting families joined in the game.

"You're a noble. Why not just go home, get married, and be waited on hand and foot?" Jyuushiro had asked bravely.

"Turns out, I'm not very good at that either," Kyouraku had said rather darkly, and his spell had flickered momentarily as he lost focus and then regained it. "Why are you here? You want to kill hollows that badly?"

"I just want to exist on my own will power, without anyone else telling me what I can and can't be," Jyuushiro had replied, surprising even himself with his honestly.

"Well, then maybe we aren't so different after all," Kyouraku had replied cryptically. "Come on, this is getting boring. Don't you think it'd be more interesting if there were another group of fairies to start a race with?"

Jyuushiro gapped at the boy, who was apparently his roommate, and then shook his head. He focused briefly, and a squad of glowing blue lights rose up from behind the bushes where some children were catching their breath and suddenly the game was on. "Yamamoto-sensei is going to be angry when he sees how much damage all the children have done running through the gardens."

Kyouraku had grinned and made his pink sparks fly through a particularly dense patch of flowers as the children paraded after. "What's he going to do? Scream at a bunch of children?"

"More than likely scream at us," Jyuushiro had pointed out.

"Don't worry so much, he wouldn't suspect his golden boy for a moment," Kyouraku had said with a laugh. "And I'm used to getting yelled at. Now make those pansy blue fairies do something interesting."

The rest of the afternoon and most of the evening was spent with children screaming and jumping around the gardens and lawns as the adults congregated and talked. Many other academy students joined in, if only to show of their newly acquired skills, and soon a giant game of tag was started between teams of multicolor fairies and the children who chose sides with them. It wasn't until it was getting dark that children started dropping off and families started packing up to head home.

"Do we really have to go?" Yuki had asked yawning in her mother's arms.

"Yes, dear, your brother needs to study."

"Does good guy-kun need to study too?" she asked sleepily.

"More than most," Jyuushiro had answered with a snort.

"Shiro-chan! Don't be rude!" his mother had scolded. "We'll come back another time, if you boys don't mind."

"Whenever is fine, Ukitake-sama," Kyouraku had said grinning. "After all, Yuki-chan-chan never did catch her fairy."

"I was this close," his little sister had defended fiercely holding her fingers close together to demonstrate.

His family had headed out, and they had headed back to the dorms. "I know it doesn't mean anything, but thank you for been kind to my family," Jyuushiro had said as the easiness of the afternoon began to wear off and the stiffness of their previous relations began to reassert itself.

"They're a nice family," Kyouraku had said shrugging. "I have a lot of little cousins. It was nothing."

"Still, thanks all the same," Jyuushiro had reiterated. He'd been surprised when Kyouraku had stopped walking and started glaring up at the doors of the dorm. He'd glanced at his roommate and then back at the doors and noticed two men and a woman standing stiffly and looking uncomfortable.

"Shunsui?" The woman had asked peering into the darkening evening.

"Mother," his roommate had greeted stiffly. "What are you all doing here?"

"It's family day," the man beside the woman had answered harshly. "What do you think we're doing here?"

"I assumed you weren't coming," Kyouraku had said rigidly.

"Well, you know what they say about assuming," the man, who Jyuushiro assumed was his father, said darkly. "Now we've been made to stand here looking like idiots for an hour."

"Then you should have gone home and saved your dignity," Kyouraku replied coldly. "It's not like my reiatsu wasn't flaring all over the garden, and you had no idea where I was."

"Your elders do not come to you, you ungrateful brat," his father had hissed. "And what are you wearing?"

"Like it?" Kyouraku had asked grinning, only there was little kindness in the smile. "I think it rather suits me."

"Take it off now, you're making a mockery of the Kyouraku name," the man had demanded.

"Make me, old man," Kyouraku had replied.

"Now, now boys," the woman had interceded. "You're both clearly in grumpy moods."

"Obviously, we've just been informed by all his teachers that the boy is a complete waste," his father had said gesturing towards Kyouraku.

"I'm sure Shunsui has an explanation," his mother had defended. "Are they being unfairly hard on you due to your name, dear?"

"You don't really want me to answer that," Kyouraku had said stiffly. "Are you pulling me out of school or what?"

"More like disowning you," his father had spat out.

"Say the word," Kyouraku had replied.

"Both of you knock it off this instant," his mother had demanded. "No one is disowning anyone, and you both ought to be ashamed doing this in public. I'm sorry dear," she'd said turning to Jyuushiro.

"It's fine Kyouraku-dono, I was just headed inside," Jyuushiro had responded, snapped out of his surprise.

"And you are?" she requested kindly.

"Ukitake Jyuushiro ma'am," he answered.

"Ukitake, where do I know that name?" she'd wondered aloud.

"My family lives rather close to your blood relations," Jyuushiro had supplied.

"Oh yes, thank you dear."

"Barely even counts as noble," his father had harrumphed from the side. "Run along boy, we have matters to discuss."

"Lucky you," Kyouraku had muttered.

"Do wish your mother well for me," Kyouraku's mother had added.

"Of course, ma'am," Jyuushiro had replied, glancing over at his roommate once more and seeing yet another person he hadn't met until tonight. He'd hesitated for a moment, but then gone on his way.

He'd not heard the rest of the conversation, but Kyouraku had come back an hour later with his reiatsu flaring all over the place and had slammed himself down in his bed so hard Jyuushiro had been rather worried it would break. His roommate hadn't spoken for the next couple days and had spent most of the time drinking. For the first time in a very long time, Jyuushiro hadn't complained about it once.

Four days later he'd come home from classes to find Kyouraku playing a shamisen and making up dirty lyrics gleefully. A brand new pink haori was lying at the end of his roommate's bed and all seemed to be right with the world again. "You're bothers forgot the manga," he'd commented casually, as Jyuushiro moved around the room. Jyuushiro had glanced over at the pile and noticed it'd gotten rather larger with some new looking manga on top. "I'll have a messenger take it over if you give me your address."

"I'm sure they'd appreciate that," Jyuushiro had said lightly. "My mother told me to invite you over for our town's festival in two weeks. Yuki hasn't stopped talking about fairies since they got home."

"I'd like that," Kyouraku had said nonchalantly, though Jyuushiro had had a feeling he was being honest. "Now what rhymes with thrust?"

"Must, lust, and bust are the three that come to mind first," Jyuushiro had replied tolerantly.

They hadn't been friends after that, but they'd had a better understanding of each other, and strangers had become acquaintances. Even then Jyuushiro hadn't imagined their relationship would go much beyond that.

"Ukitake-san, back for more flowers already?" the shop owner asked kindly as he returned his focus to the present.

"Yes, well, we had a few accidents with the ones I bought the other day," Jyuushiro said smiling. He'd put his gardens to right in the morning and then perhaps he'd drop in for dinner with Shunsui and Nanao tomorrow evening. Well at least as long as it was Nanao, and not Shunsui, doing the cooking. After all it was good to stay connected to your family.

* * *

**A/N: So there was some time between updates, but it was a long one so don't hate me! Also as you can probably tell, as much as I love Nanao/Shunsui, this isn't going to be Nanao/Shunsui 100% of the time, which honestly would get pretty boring pretty fast. Hopefully that's ok :)**

**I also had some people ask about Shunsui's mother's name so it actually worked out really well that I already had it in this chapter. Anyway as always I love reviews and they encourage me to update faster!**


	4. Honor

"Too early," he moaned and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Shunsui, let go," she ordered, pushing at his arm. "I have work to do."

"Five more minutes," he complained.

"Five more minutes becomes two more hours with you," she said rolling her eyes. "Look, I'm not even asking you to get up, just let go."

"Like it better when you're here," he complained, nuzzling his face into her neck.

"It's a work day," she argued, squirming in his hold.

"Work starts too early."

"It wouldn't if you hadn't stayed up so late drinking with Jyuushiro-san," she chastised. "Is that even good for his health?"

"Oh, don't mother him, he gets enough of that from his siblings and division," he said, letting her go only to snag her again as she tried to bolt from the bed.

"At least he can get out of bed come the next morning," she said with a snort.

"So why don't you go date him," Shunsui replied sarcastically.

"I just might," she teased. "Then I could stay in my own home, as Boo likes him just fine."

"So mean in the morning," he pouted as he rolled over to pin her under him.

"Not a chance," she said, glaring up at him. "One of us has to be on time."

"Your boss says it's ok if you're late," he replied, grinning and shifting down closer to her. He kissed her bare shoulder and she was hard pressed not to respond in turn.

"Hey, if you get to use it in our private life then I suppose it's fine for me to call you Taicho and sir," she said.

"Fine, you win," he replied with a sigh, releasing her. "Although I really don't consider leaving, winning."

"Go back to sleep," she said with a laugh, getting up and heading towards the bathroom. "I expect you in this afternoon though, it's a budget week."

He groaned and threw a pillow at the door as she shut it behind her. Nanao smiled to herself as she went through her morning routine, and despite her earlier admonishments, tried to be quiet as she moved around the room. Some things were just never going to change, and she had quickly discovered that trying to wake him up at a reasonable hour only succeeded in making her late too.

She arrived at the 8th right on time and made a cup of tea before heading to her desk. Division members called out greetings as she went and she smiled back at them. She'd been doing that a lot more recently, smiling. At first she was pretty sure it had freaked some of her subordinates out, but they'd gotten used to it, and it hadn't seemed to cost her any of her hard won respect so she'd continued to do it. Besides, Shunsui was so fond of telling her how beautiful she was when she smiled that she was loath to take away his fun.

The morning was rather productive overall and when she felt Kyouraku's reiatsu signature coming towards the office she felt like she'd gotten enough done to let him distract her and get her out to lunch. That was until she realized something was off about it, and quickly noticed, after a more thorough scan, that it was not Shunsui, but his mother coming towards the 8th. She groaned out loud and wondered if it was too late to hide. His mother was obviously looking for her if she was coming to the office first, and Nanao just didn't know if she had the patience to deal with it today. Maybe she could make up some business with the 1st.

"Nanao-san," his mother greeted, as she slid open the door like she owned the place.

"Kyouraku-dono," she said, standing up and giving the woman a small bow.

"How many times have I told you that Hana is just fine?" his mother asked waving her off. Well, at least she appeared to be in a good mood today. "How's your headache dear?"

"It's fine, all gone," Nanao said, watching the woman as she went to Shunsui's desk and unconsciously began tidying it. Nanao would have laughed and told her not to waste her time, as Shunsui would just mess it up in two minutes, but she had a feeling the woman was doing it more out of habit than in any real hope it would stay clean.

"Well that's good," his mother said, sounding like she couldn't care less one way or another. "You know, some women get headaches when they're pregnant."

So that was it, Nanao thought with a groan. At least you couldn't accuse the woman of being subtle. Much like her son, she liked to get what she wanted when she wanted it. "Is that so?" Nanao asked patiently. "I shall have to remember that if I ever am pregnant."

"Then your not?" his mother asked with a disappointed sigh.

"Just like all the other times, the answer is still no," Nanao said evenly. His mother was obsessed with checking for signs of pregnancy, and she couldn't say Shunsui helped, as he like to torture the poor woman. At one Christmas party, when he knew Nanao had a stomachache and didn't want to drink, he purposefully forgot just so that he could ask her if she wanted a glass of wine and have her turn him down in front of his mother. It'd taken her the rest of the week, and ultimately an entire bottle of wine, to convince his mother she actually wasn't pregnant.

"Are you ever planning on it?" his mother asked bluntly.

"I'd like to have children someday, just not now," Nanao replied by rote. This conversation was getting tired fast.

"Why not now?"

"I've explained this all before," Nanao said, setting down her pen and settling in for the long haul. There were certain drawbacks to dating Shunsui, and his familial persistence on obnoxious topics was definitely one of them. "I'm enjoying my career right now, we're not even married, and I don't see any rush."

"Shunsui's not getting any younger you know," his mother pointed out, sitting down primly on the edge of the couch her son so liked to nap on. "You could have one child and only miss a few months of work. We have the means to hire a nanny. You wouldn't have to stay home for any longer than a couple weeks. I'm sure your career could handle that."

"I'm not just going to pop out a kid and then hand it off to some stranger," Nanao said while trying not to roll her eyes. She'd heard the nanny argument before and it just wasn't going to happen.

"It wouldn't be a stranger, all the nannies that work for the noble families have been around for years with excellent recommendations," his mother defended. "In fact, I heard the Shoji family's son is becoming a tad too old for their nanny. They just think the world of her, and she'll be out of work soon enough."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not getting pregnant to give someone else a job," Nanao said firmly. If Shunsui didn't wake up and save her soon she was seriously going to dump him for Jyuushiro. The Ukitake siblings she had met were nothing but kind and had never once hounded her for personal information.

"So when are you going to feel the time is right to leave your job?" his mother asked, not entirely hiding the bitterness in her tone.

"Kyouraku-dono, we haven't planned that far ahead," Nanao replied. "We're just going with the flow."  
"My son always goes with the flow, and nothing ever gets done," the woman said. "I'd hoped when he started to settle down with you, a goal-oriented person such as yourself would change that."

"My goals and yours obviously just do not coincide," Nanao said, hoping the secretaries weren't listening too hard and weren't going to gossip too badly.

"Well, I'm sorry that the Kyouraku family's needs don't factor into your life," the woman said harshly. "My son is so busy making sure you get everything you want, that I'm not sure you take into consideration at all what he wants."

"I think I would know if Shunsui's biological clock was ticking," Nanao said equally as coldly. She hated having conversations like this in the office more than just about anything. "As he hasn't made that known to me, I'm going to continue to assume that he's happy with the way things are."

"You won't even marry him," his mother argued, leaping to her feet and starting to pace. "What signal is that supposed to send other than you're holding out in case something better comes along?"

"That is absolutely not the reason!" Nanao replied standing up as well. The Kyourakus really could get her agitated unlike anyone else. "I just don't need a legal document to tell me whether or not I'm faithful to someone. There is no hurry, and Shunsui agreed."

"Has he asked you to marry him?" his mother inquired.

"You know he has," Nanao replied stiffly.

"Well, then that would imply that he does want to get married, and there is only 'no hurry' as you put it, because you turned him down," his mother said frostily. "In which case, my son is yet again bending to your every whim while getting nothing in return."

"And he's said that to you? That he's upset about it?" Nanao asked coldly.

"He didn't have to. I'm his mother, and besides that, what man is ever pleased when their proposal gets shot down?" she said scornfully.

"I didn't turn him down, I just told him to wait," Nanao defended.

"Yes, wait. Wait for you to be in the right mood, wait for your career to be in a good place, wait until you don't feel insecure, wait until the moon turns purple," his mother ranted. "Wait until what? Wait until everything is perfect? I've got news for you, the time is never going to be perfect, sometimes you just have to do things now."

"Well, if you think I'm such an awful demanding person, I really can't imagine why you'd even like me to say yes in the first place," Nanao said, sitting back down and trying to regain her inner calm.

"Because _he_ wants you to say yes, obviously, and despite what you may think I do want to see my boys happy," she replied.

"This is between me and Shunsui," Nanao said quietly. "No one else."

"Silly child," his mother chastised saccharinely. "With noble families that's never true, and despite what Shunsui might say or do, he is a noble and can't shake all of the responsibilities that goes along with being one. Not even for a pretty little girl. He'll always have a collar he can't remove. I would think you'd understand that best of all, or at least as much as a commoner can understand it that is."

Nanao felt that comment hit her in the stomach. Of course, his mother would have looked into who she was and discovered her 'family' history. It still didn't make the comment surprise or hurt her any less. "Well, I doubt Shunsui is impotent just yet, so we have plenty of time to protect your precious lineage," Nanao snapped. "The Kyouraku name shall not end with him, I'm sure."

"Sarcasm is unbecoming on a lady," his mother replied coldly. "You don't have any idea what you're talking about."

"Oh yes, I know. How could a simple Rukongai brat have any even limited understanding of the vast and magnificent ways in which nobles work?" she asked sarcastically. She really hadn't meant to get so offended, but the woman's earlier remarks had stung, and it wasn't as if Nanao had chosen to grow up the way she had. To imply that she wasn't good enough for Shunsui because of it, just rubbed her all sorts of the wrong way.

"You're going to get him killed," his mother said, and it was only the quite conviction in her tone and the sudden change of approach that left Nanao speechless.

"Mommy-chan, I didn't know you were coming," Shunsui exclaimed bursting through the door. He looked as laid back as ever, but Nanao saw his eyes scan both women and assess the situation rapidly.

"I only stopped by for tea," she replied stiffly.

"It does look like you both enjoyed it," he said easily, glancing at Nanao's one abandoned teacup from earlier this morning.

"It was enlightening," his mother said. "Well, I do have things to do. Both of you must come by after your cousin's recital next week." She gave a quick nod to Nanao and kissed her son on the cheek before moving regally out of the room.

"Nanao-chan?" he asked as they felt his mother's reiatsu make it to the front door.

"I'm fine," she lied instantly.

"Ise-fukutaicho?" came a timid voice of one of the secretaries. "Are you alright? We sent one of the girls to get Taicho the second she came in, but it sounded like we weren't fast enough."

Kami, even her squad thought she was pathetic. "I'm completely fine, and in the future getting Kyouraku Taicho is unnecessary. I should think I could handle one woman on my own," she said calmly.

The secretary looked uncertain, but then nodded and shut the door behind her. She heard whispering voices out front and sighed, leaning her head back in her chair. People had adjusted quickly to her and Shunsui being together, but it didn't mean it made their relationship any less of a public topic, especially amongst the 8th.

"What happened?" he asked, coming to sit on the corner of her desk.

She quickly batted him away and pulled the now crumpled paperwork out from beneath him. "The usual," she said with a shrug. "She thought my faked headache meant I was pregnant and got rather agitated when she found out I wasn't."

"Then why are you this upset?" he asked, watching her closely.

"I'm not anymore upset than usual," she replied, getting up to file some paperwork.

"Liar," he said, catching her around the waist.

"Look, we're at work," she said, and he made a face knowing what was coming next. "I know you don't think it's important, but I do. Work and our personal lives are separate."

"You're clearly not happy," he argued, as she tried fruitlessly to wiggle away from him. "Why be like this for the next few hours when we can just settle whatever it is now?"

"Because we're not getting paid to settle our personal problems," she answered smartly, finally escaping from him.

"Then we do have a problem?"

"I won't do this here," she reiterated. "The Soutaicho allowed me to keep this position on the assumption that we could continue to operate regardless of our relationship."

"One afternoon will hardly hurt," he offered.

"One afternoon will turn into one day, which will turn into one week, which will turn into us just dating all the time and never functioning as a Taicho and fukutaicho," she said.

"I'm ok with that," he replied grinning.

"I'm not," she answered seriously. "And if we can't handle it then I need to transfer."

"Yare, yare, Nanao-chan," he said, scratching the back of his head. "You win, but we're leaving at five."

"Well, then there is a pile of paperwork on your desk I could use help with," she said.

"Joy," he answered. "So far I consider waking up today a total waste."

The next few hours were full of stilted silence and paperwork. Kyouraku surprised her by dropping his stack on her desk an hour early, filled out properly no less. Then he plopped down on the couch and proceeded to take a nap. At least it seemed that way, until Nanao felt a hand on her shoulder and realized that he'd gotten up at exactly five o'clock.

"Work day is over, Nanao-chan," he said smiling.

"I have one more," she started.

"Nope, a deal's a deal," he said. "Don't make me throw you over my shoulder and walk out."

"Fine," she grumbled putting everything in its appropriate spot. "But I'm coming in a half hour early tomorrow."

"Workaholic," he teased as they walked past the front office where all the secretaries were slowly packing up and chatting.

"Someone has to be," she commented with a sniff. They reached the gates of the 8th, and she shunpoed back to her apartment, confident that he would follow easily. She unlocked the door and let him follow her in, taking a brief reprieve from the tension to say hello to her cat, Boo. They'd gone straight to Shunsui's from his family's, and she hadn't gotten to see the little furball all weekend. The cat meowed and purred as it wound through her legs and snuggled in her arms when she scooped him up.

"How's my little Boo bear?" she asked in a baby voice, nuzzling the cat up to her face. He answered with a meow and she couldn't help but giggle. "Mommy missed you too."

"This is sick," Shunsui said, sulking in a corner by the door. Boo seemed to take notice of him for the first time and growled over in his direction.

"You just ignore that mean old man," she comforted grinning. "He's just jealous. Isn't that right? Yes, it is. Yes, it is, little one." She scratched up the cat's neck and he purred appreciatively.

"I read an article the other day in the news that said women who are overly affectionate with their pets are just trying to fill a void due to lack of children," he pouted. "If we have children, can we get rid of the cat?"

That stopped all of her teasing, as she remembered the original reason they were out of work so early in the first place. She sighed and put Boo down moving towards the living room.

"Nanao, seriously what did my mother say?" he asked, catching the shift in mood.

"Are you angry at me because I said no to marrying you?" she asked turning to face him.

"What? No, Nanao," he started, but she cut him off.

"Don't answer so quickly. Are you honestly not mad at all that I turned you down?"

He paused and put the thought into his answer that she had requested. "Nanao-chan, I obviously want you to marry me, or I wouldn't have asked, but I'm not angry about it. Maybe a little disappointed, but then again to some extent I didn't expect you to say yes. I figured it'd be like everything else, where I had to wear you down into submission."

"It's not funny," she said grumpily. "I don't want you secretly hating me or thinking that I don't want to be with you because I said no."

"If this is what this is all about, then you're being ridiculous," he said grinning. "I don't hate you in the slightest, and you've never been quiet about voicing your opinions. I'd like to believe that if you ever did want to leave me, you'd just say so instead of just refusing to marry me and waiting in the hopes that I'll get frustrated and move on. If you'd like to demonstrate your dedication though, I'd be game." He tugged her into an unwilling hug and chuckled. "You really shouldn't let my mother get to you."

"It's not normal," she said, pushing back from him gently. "How obsessed she is with it all." She saw an unidentifiable emotion flicker across his features and she didn't like it one bit. She pressed further, "She said you had certain responsibilities, and basically told me that by putting you off I could be costing you your life."

"She's always overdramatic," he said with a sigh, but he pulled away from her too.

"Shunsui, what did she mean?" she asked seriously.

"It's a long story," he answered gloomily.

"Since when have you ever not enjoyed telling long stories?" she asked.

"Nanao-chan, I'm happy the way things are. Just ignore my mother," he said.

"If it's possible that you could get hurt, then I want to know about it," Nanao replied sternly.

"I'm not going to get hurt. It isn't a big deal."

"Perfect, then it shouldn't be a problem telling me. We can have a good laugh over it, and then we can go out to dinner somewhere," she said.

"Sit on my lap while I tell it?" he asked hopefully.

"Well it can't be too serious, if you're still being an idiot," she said rolling her eyes. "And no way."

"Nanao-chan," he pouted.

"Last time that happened we never got through the conversation," Nanao said feeling a faint blush rise to her cheeks.

"That just proves the discussion wasn't that important in the first place," he said with a grin.

"I'm sitting over here," Nanao said moving to a chair. Boo instantly leapt up to claim ownership of her lap and glared out over at Kyouraku. "And you are going to explain to me why your mother is so insane."

"I thought I only had to tell one story," he whined.

"Shunsui," she said dryly.

"Fine, although you aren't going to like it," he said.

"Couldn't be worse than having a sex slave trader as a father," she pointed out calmly.

"Once upon a time," he started.

"Shunsui."

"What? I can start my story however I want. Now, do try not to interrupt," he said with a wink.

*~*~*~*~*~*

He glanced at the small woman sitting primly across from him and wondered again if he had really exhausted all of his distraction techniques. He'd honestly not been looking forward to this eventual conversation. The cat in her lap twitched its tail almost impatiently and he smirked at it.

"Shunsui?" she prompted quietly.

"Have you ever thought about how noble families become noble?" he asked.

"You mean besides having more strength and monetary funds than the common person?" she asked raising an eyebrow. "Most of them were just the most powerful warlords that swore fealty to the king back in the day."

"And why some nobles are higher ranking than others?" he added.

"I assumed that was again based on money and power," she said frowning.

"To a large extent that's true," he said, "but you're also forgetting politics. Winning the Imperial family's favor leads to money and power. This doesn't have as much effect anymore as the royal family has mostly cloistered themselves off in their own dimension, but it wasn't always like that."

"It's been like that for thousands of years," Nanao said shaking her head. "I don't understand where this is going."

"Now who needs a lecture on patience?" he scolded jokingly. He knew he was probably driving her nuts. Nanao liked simple straightforward answers, and he preferred the long intricate ones.

"Right, being quiet," she said.

"Many of the noble families of today are distant blood relations of the royal family," Shunsui said with a shrug. "The Kuchikis, for example, are the result of a marriage between one of the younger sisters of the King long long ago."

"And the Kyourakus?" Nanao asked catching on.

"We're officially not related to the royals in any capacity," he said. "But technically, and off the record, we're the bastard children of one of the old Kings."

"And no one knows this?" Nanao asked surprised.

"Well, it's more like an open secret. Everyone pretty much knew about it at the time too, as far as our history tells it," he said with a shrug. It was pretty common knowledge that the King was sleeping with my great, great, great, great, you get the idea, grandmother."

"Why wasn't she made a concubine? Most of the Kings have had multiple wives," Nanao said logically.

"He probably would have, had it not been for the fact that she was already married to one of his greatest supporters and powerful fighters," Shunsui explained. "So everybody knew, but nobody talked about it, at least not to their faces. And when my great, great, great,"

"Just say great once, I get the point," she said rolling her eyes.

"When my great grandmother started having children, even though her husband hadn't been able to produce offspring with the two wives he'd had before her, or with her in the first years of their marriage," Shunsui continued. "Nobody pointed out the obvious. Well, at least not in polite conversation."

"So man whoring runs in your family," she commented with a snort.

"Hey! One of Kyouraku's wives died young of a fever and the other fell off a horse and broke her neck," Shunsui defended. "Plus he isn't technically related to me at all. As for the King, like you said, he was legally and morally allowed to have as many wives as he wanted so long as they weren't married to anyone else. He was just following social custom. Most nobles at the time had more than one wife and concubines. And why does my great grandmother get off the hook for sleeping around just because she's a woman?"

"She doesn't, I'm sorry, continue," Nanao said contritely.

"Anyway, the Kyouraku family had already been noble, but suddenly they were the royal family's best friends," Shunsui said.

"But not officially," Nanao put in. "So I'm presuming you aren't in line for the throne, and your mother isn't worried about conspiracies of having a child to be next in line for the crown in case all of the royal family dies off in some freak accident."

"Officially speaking, our family has less right to the crown than even the Kuchikis," Shunsui agreed. "The problem arises from the fact that the King wanted to insure the future of his children by his lover. The first son was all well and good, as he would inherit the position of head of the Kyouraku house, and as I said, the King had worked very diligently to make that title a great honor indeed. The two daughters were also not issues as they could be married off to some of the King's official sons from his harem."

Nanao made a face at that, and he laughed. "You know how the nobles like to keep their bloodlines pure. Inbreeding wasn't such a big thing back then. Even now a lot of the nobles marry second cousins and such. You kind of can't help it, if you won't marry commoners. Anyway, the problem was the younger son. While he'd still be well off, simply by being a Kyouraku, he'd have no particular claim to status on his own. So the King decided to give him a great honor that would pass down through the ages."

"Oh, this can't be going anywhere good," Nanao commented, while she absently rubbed along her cat's back. He did like the animal in one respect. It made it much easier to tell when she was agitated, as she'd taken to comforting the animal when she herself was the one in need of comfort.

"There was a weapon of great importance," he continued hoping to get this over with quickly. "In order to protect it, the King locked it in another dimensional bubble. Of course there had to be a way to retrieve it if the King ever needed it, so he had a dimensional doorway and key created."

"Which he gave to the youngest son," Nanao filled in.

"Kind of," Shunsui said with a sigh. "The doorway was given to the son, but the son himself became the key."

"What?"

"Something that can never be stolen," Shunsui explained. "An honor that can never be removed. They infused the key in his blood itself, to be passed down youngest son to youngest son."

"Ok," Nanao said as he paused, obviously mulling the story over. "But then it shouldn't have anything to do with you. You're from the direct Kyouraku line. You'd be an ancestor of the older son."

"The older son died, and the younger one took over as head of the family," Shunsui said looking tired.

"Still, if it passes to the youngest son of each generation as you implied, it would still be safe to assume that somewhere along the way it would pass out of the direct line," Nanao pointed out.

"Well, the direct Kyouraku decedents from the original youngest son have had a bad go of sons," Shunsui explained with a shrug. "If you follow our family tree back, you'll see that while we have lots of daughters, we're rather scarce on the sons. There's always only been one, or if there were two, one always died before procreating. It's a bit of a joke within the family, the youngest son curse and all. Seichii and I are the first of two sons to make it fully into maturity together. Some of our extended relatives are just waiting for one of us to pop out a kid to see if the other one will die off."

"But if the youngest son dies doesn't the key go with him?" Nanao asked. "So again, this should have been over a long time ago."

"Whatever magic they used, it works to tie the key to whoever the youngest son in the family may be," Shunsui said shaking his head. "If I got killed, then Seichii's blood would become the key, and his youngest son after him. If Seichii and I never have sons, then yes, the key would cease to exist, but I believe the King never even took that into consideration, as the first duty of a son of a noble house is to produce heirs and continue the bloodline. Any nobleman worth anything wouldn't let some mysterious danger hanging over his head stop him from producing sons. In fact, the King may have simply believed that if one of the sons didn't produce any male heirs, then the family was simply not worthy of having the key at all, and it was fair for the honor to be removed. Given that would have restricted his own access to the weapon, so who knows for sure what the King was thinking."

"Your mother believes this youngest son curse?" Nanao asked shocked. "That you'll literally die if you don't have a kid first? And what about Seichii then? She doesn't care if he dies?"

"There's no such thing as a curse, silly Nanao-chan," he scolded teasingly. "We don't live in a fairy tale."

"If this was all some big made up story," she threatened glaring at him.

"It's not made up," he reassured. "It's just that my mother isn't worried about the curse, she's worried about the key part. As it is, currently my blood is the key to opening the door."

"And?" she asked.

"Were it well known that my blood could open the gate to a powerful weapon there would more than likely be some competition for it. As I'd have to be careful not to bleed, defending myself would be a risk."

"So she'd rather put a defenseless baby at risk?" Nanao asked surprised. "And what if the baby was a girl? That wouldn't do any good at all."

"The baby wouldn't be at risk because the assumption would be that the father would defend it. As my blood would no longer be the key, I'd be free to do so. It's how my family has always functioned," Shunsui said patiently. "And I believe she wants us to start sooner rather than later for the express purpose that we usually do produce females. The more babies we have, and the faster we have them, the sooner we get a boy."

"So she's been terrified your entire life that someone would try to take you and use you to open the gate? How much blood does this thing need?" she asked.

"It takes a significant portion of blood to make it uncomfortable, but not deadly, at least not for an adult," Shunsui replied. "The real problem is that the blood donor has to go through to the other dimension too."

"Well, why doesn't someone just do that then?" Nanao demanded. "Go in, get the stupid thing, and either give it back to the King or destroy it."

"Some have tried," Shunsui said shrugging, "It's what's helped contribute to the youngest son curse. We don't know what's on the other side, just that no one comes back once they get over there."

"Wait," she said looking frustrated. "By, you don't know what's on the other side, does that include the weapon?"

"Seems to have gotten lost over time what exactly it was," Shunsui admitted shrugging.

"Ok, so not only is it getting people killed, but we have no idea if it's actually worth the cost. This doesn't seem like much of an honor," she said harshly.

"Yes well, path to hell is paved with good intentions and all that," Shunsui commented.

"So your whole family has always been baby crazy then?" she asked as Boo got tired of her attentions and jumped down out of her lap.

"Nope, that's pretty recent," he said. "See the other problem with the whole inbreeding thing is the deterioration of the family genes and reiatsu levels. You know my father is basically reiatsu-less. It's the main reason the marriage was arranged between him and my mother. While she was a lower ranking noble, she had reiatsu to spare. It's one of the main reasons my family hasn't been more vocal in their disapproval of my dating you. The family needs the fresh blood."

"Why do I suddenly feel like a brood mare?" she asked crossing her arms.

"As far as my family is concerned, that is what you are," he replied bluntly. "Obviously I don't share their feelings."

"But that still doesn't explain why your mother is so obsessed about getting a grandson right this instant," she said confused.

"Like I said, my father has little to no reiatsu. He can't protect me even if he had any inclination to. It was fine while my grandfather was still alive, but she started to get antsy as the years wore on," he explained.

"But if something happened, the whole Gotei 13 would be behind you, not to mention Jyuushiro and myself," she said looking more upset than ever.

"My family trusts family, and family alone," he said. "That's the way it's always been."

"How come I've never heard of any of this before?"

"Because its been purposefully suppressed for obvious safety reasons. Yama-jii was very helpful in ridding the Seireitei library of any books with reference to it," Shunsui said, waiting for the horrified look he knew was coming.

"He destroyed books?" she asked appalled.

"More like relocated them to his personal library," he soothed.

"And none of this concerns you, like it does your mother?" she asked quietly.

"Like you said, Nanao-chan, I'm not worried about people being there to back me up if I'm unable to fight," he said. "Beyond that, one of the most prolific readers and researchers I know had apparently no knowledge of it, so I'm not entirely concerned that anyone else will figure it out."

She gave a pretty blush at his sideways compliment and he grinned at her. "Still your mother has a point."

"You want to marry me and get pregnant Nanao-chan?"

"No, I mean I don't know, kami, Shunsui," she said looking confused.

He got up and moved over to her, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Nanao-chan, don't worry about it. I'm perfectly safe. I have been for all these years. It's not going to suddenly change now. My mother is just being a mother. She's always going to worry about her sons. Now can we stop talking about this?"

"There must be something we can do though," she argued. "If you and I went through the gate?"

"Absolutely not," he said firmly. "We don't know what's on the other side and it doesn't matter as no one knows it even exists anymore. So you and I can just ignore that it exists and go on the way we always have."

"But Shunsui," she said, and he kissed her to shut her up. "You should know by now that distraction works better on you than me," she commented when he moved back.

"It's been known to work on you too," he smirked. "Look, Nanao-chan, I know you don't like letting anything go, but really this time you should. It's only an issue for my mother. The rest of us sane and functioning human beings get to ignore it and go on with life. So unless you're ready to have a baby, just forget about it."

"I'm not ready to be a mom," she said shaking her head.

"Wonderful, as long as we get to keep practicing, I have no complaints," he said, kneeling down in front of her and tugging her to the edge of her chair.

"You really do take everything too lightly," she chastised.

"I take some things very, very seriously," he countered, moving forward to kiss her throat. She let her head fall back to give him access and he smiled into her skin.

"So how inbred are you exactly?" she asked suddenly.

He laughed and pulled away from her, realizing she just wasn't going to focus on what was obviously, at least to him, more important in this situation. "You want my whole family tree?"

"I'm just saying, I think I should know what I'm marrying into," she said.

"Marrying into?" he asked quirking an eyebrow at her.

"Well, it will obviously probably happen eventually," she said flushing all over again.

"You make me very happy," he commented, watching the blush darken at his words.

"I'm hungry, what do you want for dinner?" she asked, standing up abruptly.

"Is my Nanao-chan embarrassed?" he cooed.

"You're an idiot," she said, marching primly into the kitchen.

"I think she is," he sang out behind her as he followed. "All because she wants to hug me, and she wants to kiss me, and she wants to marry me, and she wants to have my babies."

She kissed him and he lost his train of thought.

"See, I told you that works better on you," she said smirking.

* * *

**A/N: This was going to be two chapters, but as it really is taking me about a week to update I figured I'd make it a bit longer when I had the time. So now we have a bit more of an explanation on Shunsui's family history and his mother's wackiness.**

**As for all those reviewers worried about Jyuushiro's relationship status… so far I don't have plans to match him up with anyone, but we'll see how it goes. The reviews seem split on whether they want me to or not anyway, haha.**

**As always please review, and tell me what you think! It's what keeps me interested in my own stories, because it's boring to write for just yourself :)**


	5. Changes

Being kicked in the shins was not his favorite way to wake up. It also hadn't happened in quite some time. The woman next to him muttered something and then rolled away from him again. He sighed as he watched Nanao's frowning face. Her hand flung out towards him, and he caught it midair, before it could smack into his face, which instantly sent her writhing to get away from his hold. Shunsui quickly threw up a kido barrier and pulled her closer to him.

"Nanao, wake up," he said loudly. She tried to pull away from him again whimpering, and he reached out to shake her shoulder. "It's just a dream. Wake up now."

Her eyes flew open, and he was thankful that at least this time she didn't try to take a kido shot at him. "Taicho?" she asked sleepy and confused.

He grimaced at the word, but let it pass as he dropped the kido shield. "You were having a bad dream."

"Was I?" she asked, and he saw her eyes flicker away from his own. "Sorry I woke you."

Nanao always got embarrassed whenever she had a nightmare. It'd been a problem since childhood, and while he understood where most of it arose from, he was sure she was the most prolific dreamer he'd ever met. His theory was that her brain was so trained to make up stories in her head from all her reading, that it just crossed straight over into her unconscious mind. That, added to her tendency not to just share her fears and concern, forced her nighttime hours to be a sort of release. She'd just huffed at him when he'd told her that and changed the subject. Nanao hadn't had one in a very long time now though, and he'd hoped they were coming to an end.

"You know I don't mind," he said. "Although I do prefer kisses to kicks."

"I kicked you?" she asked glancing up at him again. "Are you ok?"

He let out a laugh and tugged her closer to his side. "You kick like a girl. I'm just fine," he said.

She growled at that statement and tried to wiggle away. "I'll show you a kick."

He laughed again and rolled on top of her to subdue her flailing arms and legs. "Now, what were you dreaming about?"

She looked up at him defiantly, and he felt a brief but fierce flash of loving possession that she often stirred in him. He'd felt it with other women once or twice, but it'd died off after a few weeks when he'd started to get bored. Nanao never failed to inspire the feeling, and he quite enjoyed it when she claimed him as hers as well. "I didn't even know I was dreaming. You know how they just sort of fade away when you wake up."

"Uh huh, but this one didn't," he stated calmly.

"I can't remember, Shunsui. Why is it such a big deal?" she pouted. She worked an arm free to trail her fingers down his chest, and he felt alarm bells go off in his head. The little minx was trying to distract him again, and this time it just wasn't going to work.

"It wouldn't have anything to do with our discussion earlier this evening?" he asked and saw her tense subtly. Her fingers stopped their tortuous path and he smirked dangerously. Hit the nail on the head.

"It wasn't," she said quickly.

"But I thought you didn't remember it, so how would you know?" he asked in mock confusion.

"Well, if you already know I'm lying why don't you just say so?" she huffed up at him while dropping her hand away from his skin completely.

He chuckled at that comment and lay back down, effectively letting her out from under him, although to his pleasure she just chose to bury herself further into his side. "So what was it?"

"Nothing really," she sighed in defeat. "I was just looking for you all over and couldn't find you, and then your mother was there, screaming about how it was my fault, and then my father grabbed me."

"I knew I shouldn't have said anything," he muttered, running a hand through her hair distractedly.

She jerked up at that and glared down at him. "If anything, you should have said something sooner, so we could figure something out."

"What's there to figure out?" he asked, staying where he was and meeting her glare calmly.

"Well, there has to be a way to remove the key if there was a way to infuse it with your blood in the first place, or we could just go and get the stupid thing and end it," she offered.

"I already said no," he commented lightly, but meaning it. "Nanao-chan, it isn't a big deal. Nobody knows about it, and I'm not in any danger. I'm a Taicho of the Gotei 13 for kami sake. If I have to, I'll just take out whoever tries to hurt me without bleeding. I'll just have to make sure he doesn't get a hit in. Nothing to worry about at all." He gave her his best cocky grin, which faded quickly as he realized she wasn't even looking at him.

"She said you were collared," Nanao said so quietly he almost missed it.

"Who did?" he asked, although he had a feeling he already knew.

"You're mother. She said being who you are was like having a collar you couldn't remove," she explained, looking so torn he just wanted to hug her. He also was going to have a word with his mother about using Nanao's history against her. His mother was very good at manipulating when she wanted to, and there were certain lines he just wasn't going to let her cross.

"She's just trying to force you to do what she wants you to do. She's more worried than ever, because she had such high hopes that when I actually settled on one girl we'd start popping out babies instantly. Instead she got my beautiful Nanao-chan who believes that a career and a life can be more important than having as many children as possible as soon as possible. She's not handling that very well as you can see," he explained with a soft laugh, sitting up as well. "I honestly don't feel collared, and more often than not, I forget about the whole stupid thing. Don't you think if I were worried about it, I'd have done something about it ages ago? Contrary to what my mother believes, if I'd wanted to get a woman pregnant, I've had plenty of willing participants and open opportunities. I'm the one who chose not to."

"Wonderful to know," Nanao said grimacing at him.

"I'm just saying," he continued with a confident shrug. "It's nothing you have to remotely worry about. My family has been completely safe for generations. It was way more of a risk for my father than it will ever be for me, so stop being so fussy."

"But you aren't just saying that because of me, are you?" she asked biting her lip. It was adorable and made him want to kiss it all better. He did realize that it was bugging her way more than it should though, so he tried to focus as she kept talking as opposed to interrupting her right there and changing the direction of the evening. "I don't always have to get my way you know. I'm not the only one who should be happy with the way this relationship is going. If you don't like something, you should tell me."

"Well, in that case, I don't like it when you go out on missions that have even the slightest chance of you getting hurt, and I think you should wear pink to declare that you're mine, and men should have to sign a contract saying they will only look at your eyes in your presence and never have a lewd thought about you before they are allowed to speak to you," he declared grandly.

"Shunsui, I'm being serious," she glared.

"So am I," he said smiling. "The only thing I don't like about our relationship is when you are in danger, or when any other men think they have a snowflake's chance in hell of convincing you to leave me."

"I'm rarely in danger," she snorted. "And no men ever try to hit on me, and haven't since you started declaring your love for me years and years and years ago."

"I saw some of your brother's friends looking," he countered.

"Yes, well that was before they knew you," she said with a laugh.

"Is that why you used to go visit Mamoru-kun without me?" he asked raising an eyebrow. "So you could flirt with other men who didn't know I'd hunt them down?"

"Oh yes," she said grinning at him. "My plan was to have two separate lives, but you ruined that when you came to visit. My other fiancé dumped me on the spot, said he couldn't marry a woman who was willing to sleep with a man who wears pink."

"Sucks for him," Shunsui said, running his fingers up her side to a ticklish spot he'd discovered a few months into their relationship.

She dropped back on the bed laughing and trying to squirm away from his tickling hands. "Stop, stop! I give up!"

"Weakling," he teased.

"Says the man who cried when he dropped a sake glass on his toe," she said rolling her eyes.

"That was because I spilled the sake not because my toe hurt. That was good sake," he defended.

"Alcoholic," she accused, lifting herself off the bed to give him an innocent kiss.

"Well, there's this stressful woman in my life that always drives me to drink," he said.

"Hey!" she shouted crossly.

"What? I meant my mother," he clarified, leaning down to nuzzle her neck. They lay there quietly for a few moments, and he contemplated falling asleep again just as they were at the foot of the now rumpled bed.

"You do have a talent for distracting me," she finally murmured, moving her hands through his hair.

"Whatever do you mean?" he asked, internally sighing at his inability to completely divert her from a goal. It might work for a few minutes, but Nanao always came back to the point.

"I'm still going to worry."

"I really wish you wouldn't," he said.

"I can't help it," she admitted. "I want you safe, and most of all I want you happy. I don't want to be the reason you give up any of your hopes or dreams. I don't want to add to you feeling trapped. I know what a terrible feeling that is."

"I don't feel caged, at least not since I was a kid, and most of all not by you. I'm a big tough boy," he said. "I'll be fine. I may give into most of your whims, but that's because making you happy makes me happy. At least as long as it doesn't involve too much paperwork that is. I don't need children right this instant. We'll get there when we get there, and until then my mother will just have to worry about some non-existent threat."

"You're still human," she argued. "I've seen you lose fights before."

"I don't think there are many people of Yama-jii's level that are going to start suddenly hunting me down. Besides, if that happens I have my adorable, talented, Nanao-chan to look after me," he said affectionately. "Now stop harping on about it, or you'll turn into my mother."

"Bite your tongue," she said. "Now I really am going to have nightmares forever."

"Come on, lovely," he said, sitting up and pulling her against him before depositing her back into her original place on the bed. He'd discovered with much happiness that she preferred the left side of the bed, which had worked out well since he'd always preferred the right. "Go to sleep. I'm sure you're going to get up at some ungodly hour tomorrow."

"You mean at the appropriate time to make it into the office when I should be?" she asked smirking.

"Yes, that time," he replied with an overdramatic shudder. "Which means you should get sleep when you have the opportunity."

"Now who's worrying when they shouldn't?" she asked.

"Hey, where as you only have hypothetical situations, I have quite a bit of historical evidence to back me up when I say you don't sleep or eat a healthy amount. I could even call in Retsu as a secondary witness," he said, lying down next to her.

"And whose fault is that?" she demanded.

"Hey, I do some of the paperwork now," he pouted.

"Yes," she admitted. "But now there is this obnoxious man who keeps me up all hours of the night."

"You tell me who he is, and I'll take care of him," he said with a laugh.

"You better not," she replied, curling up against him. He'd also discovered she was not a spreader. Nanao tended to curl up as small as she could in her sleep, and he quite enjoyed the fact that this generally either led to her wrapped around him or in a petite ball at his side. "I rather like some of the things he does to keep me awake."

"Do tell," he said, grinning at her veiled compliment.

"A lady never kisses and tells," she said sleepily.

He chuckled quietly at that and trailed a hand up her arm. "Liar," he accused. "Like Matsumoto hasn't dragged all the sordid details out of you."

"Only some of them," she murmured groggily next to him.

"Ooo," he cooed. "Which ones?"

"None of your business," she said, not bothering to open her eyes.

"None of my business? I was there for them," he argued.

"Well, then no need for me to tell you," she said with a yawn.

"I'm going to get her drunk and figure out what you told her," he threatened.

"You're going to try and get someone else to tell you stories about your own sex life?" she asked.

"It's like a game of telephone," he commented. "I like to see how I turn out in the gossip mill. You should hear some of the things I've heard about myself."

"Freak," she said, wrapping one of her legs around his.

"You better have told her good things," he threatened.

She hummed back in her throat. "I told her you were the equivalent of, what I imagine, going bankai for the first time feels like."

"Oh, that's a good one, Nanao-chan," he said pleased.

She laughed and wrapped an arm around his waist. "I thought that would sufficiently stroke your ego."

"You better have really told her that," he said.

"I'll put it on my to-do list."

"It's mean to get a man's hopes up and then crush them like that," he pouted.

"I'm not in the habit of telling people about our sex life," she said with a shrug that he felt more than saw.

"But I don't mind if it's compliments!" he whined. "I only tell Jyuu good things about you."

She sat up so fast he was worried she might have given herself whiplash. "You did not tell him anything!"

"Like I said, it was good things," he replied, making a confused face.

"I'm never going to be able to speak to him again," she cried out. "This is so mortifying."

"Nanao-chan," he said with a laugh. "I'm just joking. Calm down."

"You're an ass," she complained, hitting him on the chest. He just ignored the ineffectual punch and dragged her back down on top of him by the waist.

"Sleep," he ordered. He was pretty sure she'd been sidetracked enough that she'd sleep peacefully through the rest of the night. It was always when she let herself think too hard that she drove herself into a tizzy.

"You better not have told Ukitake-san anything," she grumbled. "That'd be humiliating. It'd be like telling my brother what I like in bed."

"You worry too much," he said calmly. It wasn't like he'd told Jyuushiro anything bad. It'd just been normal man talk, and his best friend had more discretion than anyone he'd ever met. The woman next to him snuggled closer and yawned again, and he was tempted to tell her how cute she was, but figured it'd just wake her up once more and possibly start another argument.

He really hadn't shared much with Jyuushiro. Not like some of the conquests he'd had in the past. Some of those had been stories too good to keep to himself, and he'd been well aware that the women that perpetrated them sure didn't mind sharing. One girl had told Jyuushiro at a party before he'd gotten the chance. His friend hadn't wanted to know anything intimate about Nanao though. They were both close enough on their own that it would be awkward. Besides that, Shunsui didn't particularly feel like sharing anything about his lovely fukutaicho.

The only reason he'd said anything at all to his old friend, was simply because he'd been a bit overwhelmed himself. He'd known that Nanao hadn't had much of a dating life over the years. He'd also known he was somewhat guilty of adding to the problem for her, but what he hadn't expected was her to be quite as innocent as she was.

He'd been honestly shocked the first time he'd gotten her alone. He was glad he'd had enough control to stop himself and figure out what the heck had been wrong with her in the first place, as she hadn't been inclined to say anything. She'd just been so jumpy and nervous and completely unlike her calm, confident, self-sufficient self that his first thought had been that her father had succeeded in doing more to her than he originally thought. The idea had pissed him off so much he'd been distracted from anything else, including the fact that he'd already succeeded in getting her naked from the waist up. When he'd demanded to know what was wrong she'd just flushed bright red and shut down, which hadn't done anything to alleviate his fears. He'd helped her shrug back into her top, but had stopped her when she'd tried to go about pretending it hadn't happened and fix something for breakfast.

"Nanao-chan," he'd said softly, stopping her hands as they reached for dishes. She hadn't put up a fight, but she hadn't turned to face him either. "What's going on? If you didn't want to, you only had to say."

She'd sighed, and he'd wanted to stop asking, if only because it obviously made her uncomfortable, but he'd known too that it wasn't a topic they were just going to be able to ignore. "It's not that I don't want to," she'd replied, still looking down at his counter.

"Then the problem is?" he'd prompted. She'd bit her lip in thought, and he'd gotten too antsy for his own good. "Did your father or one of his men do anything?"

She'd finally turned to look at him with confusion on her face. The confusion had quickly turned to understanding and then to horror. "Oh no!" she'd said, "No, nothing like that!"

He hadn't been able to deny the feeling of relief that had washed over him after that comment. "Then you'd rather wait?" he'd asked, voicing his secondary thoughts. "I mean you just admitted you loved me after all. I more than understand. You just had to say."

"No," she'd shaken her head. "It's not that either. I mean yes, it's fast, but then again we've been incredibly slow getting here anyway so it doesn't really feel that way, does it?"

He'd had to agree with her there, and had silently thanked kami that he wasn't going to have to wait another decade to get her into bed. "Then what?"

"I'm just not sure I'm doing anything right, and I hate feeling that way," she'd said finally, looking miserable.

"Nanao-chan, everything you do is right," he'd said with a laugh, reaching for her again. Pre-sex jitters he could deal with. She'd let him get an arm around her waist, but had quickly thrown up a hand keeping room between them.

"But that's not true, and we both know it," she'd said, looking even more worried if anything. "Once I've learned something I do it correctly, but before that everyone screws up, right? I mean it's not like I'm a total idiot. I've got the basics figured out, and Matsumoto always over shares, but it's a bit like reading about a kido spell and then actually trying to produce it. It doesn't always come out perfectly the first time."

He'd had to process all of that for a minute before he'd even been able to understand what kido spells had to do with anything. When he'd put it all together, he hadn't been able to stop the look of surprise that flitted across his features. Nanao had obviously caught it and backed away from him further.

"Wait," he'd said, tightening the hold he'd managed to keep on her waist. "Are you saying you've never had sex before?"

She'd looked wretched standing there in front of him and hadn't been able to look up at him. "I thought you knew that," she'd said finally.

"Of course I didn't know that," he'd said, surprised she would even think that. "You're gorgeous and have had your own apartment all this time. I haven't sat outside of it to see whom you bring home. I mean, what idiot wouldn't at least attempt to get you into bed? Kami, and had I known that, I certainly wouldn't have tackled you on my kitchen floor."

"Don't you think if I'd been sleeping around it would have gotten into the gossip mill?" she'd asked, equally as surprised as him.

"My Nanao-chan has always been discreet," he'd said with a shrug. "It's not like I thought you had a secret long term boyfriend, but at least a one night stand here or there?"

"I never felt comfortable with strangers," she'd said while fidgeting with the ends of her shirt, and he'd felt awful when it looked like she felt ashamed of the fact due to his questioning.

"Nanao," he'd said, tilting her chin up so she'd look at him again. "I was just surprised. It's nothing to be embarrassed about. It just means there are fewer men out there who I have to hunt down and kill. I just wish I'd known so I hadn't jumped you like an animal in heat."

"I wasn't exactly beating you off," she'd pointed out.

"Still," he'd continued. "We don't have to go quite that fast."

"See? And now you're going to treat me like a child," she'd said fiercely, pulling away from him completely.

"I should hope I don't do this with children," he'd joked, but quickly realized she wasn't in a 'let's laugh about it and forget it' kind of mood.

"So what am I supposed to do? Just go find someone who I'm halfway comfortable with and figure it out, and then come back?" she'd demanded irrationally. "I told Ukitake-san that this would be a problem."

"Wait, you were talking about this with Jyuu?" he'd asked even more confused. "And don't you dare, even think about going to someone else."

"I told him you like your women experienced," she'd said, looking even more dejected than before.

"I like my Nanao-chan exactly as she is," he'd answered reaching for her again. She hadn't fought him, but she hadn't exactly melted against him either. "I'm not babying you. You just don't deserve to be rushed through weeks of experience in five minutes."

"It was only going to last five minutes?" she'd asked, obviously before she could think about it, as she'd then proceeded to flush all over again the minute it was out of her mouth.

"Figure of speech," he'd said with a chuckle. "Look, all I'm saying is the actual sex part isn't all of the good stuff, although I guess it would help me to actually know what you have done."

She'd looked like she'd rather bolt than answer that question, and he'd gotten a better hold on her just in case. "Pretty much what we just got to on the floor is as far as I've gone. Other than that, I've had a very limited number of make out sessions in the back of bars that I didn't want to be in, and that may or may not have been years ago."

He'd suddenly felt terrible for everything, for planning to screw her mindless on the floor, for not thinking to ask in the first place, and for stealing some of her experiences when she was younger. He had no delusions that some of the problem had more than likely been due to him. He'd always wanted to keep her safe and innocent, he'd just never figured it would actually work. Shunsui had wanted to apologize, but looking at her face, he hadn't thought she'd take it the right way.

"So you have more restraint than a saint," he'd murmured, brushing a loose piece of hair behind her ears.

She'd snorted at that comment and said, "I don't know if I'd really call it restraint, when most of them touching me just made me feel uncomfortable and dirty. I didn't know them so how could I possibly trust them? It always ended up reminding me of the men my father kept company with. Besides, it's not like I never did anything by myself."

He'd felt like his brain was going to burn out after having this conversation with her. "Oh, Nanao-chan, I'm going to be fantasizing about that last comment for weeks," he'd said honestly. The pink had returned to her cheeks and he'd wondered briefly if flushing too much could be dangerous.

"Look, I don't need this coddling," she'd said, and he'd heard some of the fukutaicho creep back into her tone. "Let's just get through it, and then it won't be this big taboo, and I can sort out all the details later. I'm just saying if it's not great, you should give me another chance."

"You, my dear, have all the chances in the world," he'd said, finally starting to feel on even ground again. "And I refuse to just get through it. I'm going to make you enjoy every minute of it, and that includes all the slow build up beforehand."

"You're making this unnecessarily complicated," she'd said lightly. "I'm not some tender girl that can't handle it or thinks its some precious gift."

He'd just smiled down at her, happy to have the Nanao personality he knew so well firmly back in control of the woman in front of him. Not that that was going to dissuade him from taking it slow. "Come on, Nanao-chan, I have a lot of fun things to show you, and I'm certainly not going to do them in the kitchen."

He'd talked to Jyuushiro about it the next day, not because he'd wanted to share any intimate details, but simply to alleviate some of his guilt. He'd really felt terrible for the part he'd played in her loosing some of the life experiences everyone else got to enjoy. He'd felt even worse that he couldn't altogether hate himself for having done it though. Although he knew he in no way deserved it, and it was a hideous double standard, and he wouldn't have minded it if she'd had quite a few lovers, he was still mostly pleased to be the only one. He wouldn't have traded all her shy advances and cautious attempts at intimacy for anything in the world. So it'd all wrapped up to him feeling guilty about the whole situation and then feeling even guiltier that he was glad about it.

Jyuushiro had been helpful in pointing out that at the end of the day the decision had been hers, and to apologize about it would just embarrass her further. He'd also repeated several anecdotes in which Nanao had firmly disregarded what Shunsui said and did if she felt she should be doing otherwise. "You're giving yourself too much credit, old friend," Jyuushiro had finally said laughing. "Nanao does what Nanao wants to do."

It had comforted him quite a bit and he'd decided not to bring it up again, just let things proceed naturally as they would. He'd also been delighted, some weeks later, when he'd come home from a dinner with some of the other Taichos to find Nanao engrossed in a book on her old window seat. She'd been so into it she hadn't noticed his return, and when he'd asked what she was reading, she'd turned pale and tried to shove the book behind her back, which had only served to pique his interest.

Once he'd wrestled the thing away from her, and she had put up quite a fight, he'd discovered it was one of his old hentai mangas and had barely managed to stop a laugh from escaping him.

"Nanao-chan, is reading naughty things," he'd cooed, grinning down at her where he'd pinned her to the floor.

"I was curious," she'd huffed. "Always before when I had to learn something new there were books about it. This was the closest I could find."

"And did it help?" he'd teased, unable to help it. "Nanao-chan was very absorbed in it."

"It was educational," she'd said glaring up at him.

He'd continued to sit on her, to keep her still, and had flipped through the book quickly trying to remember which one it was. "Does Nanao-chan want to try that?" he'd asked, grinning and holding the book open to a rather intriguing page.

She'd shifted underneath him unhappily and scowled at him. "I wouldn't be totally opposed to it," she'd commented stiffly once it had become clear that he was waiting for an answer.

"Nothing better than practice," he'd offered, setting the book aside and refocusing on the woman below him.

"It does make perfect," she'd said, a small smile tugging at the edge of her lips.

The petite woman next to him sighed in her sleep and shifted even closer to him. He looked down and grinned at how far she'd come in the course of their relationship. She'd been mortified the first time she'd woken up wrapped around him like an octopus. She'd also tried to apologize for it about a hundred times until he'd convinced her that not only did he not mind, he rather liked it. Nanao made a humming noise in her sleep and he shifted down to kiss the crown of her head.

He really was going to have to have a word with his mother about pressuring the poor girl. Nanao put enough pressure on herself for the both of them. Besides, he truly was confident when he said it wasn't a big deal. He'd been doing fine for centuries, he couldn't imagine why someone would suddenly figure out the secret now. Not that he'd mind Nanao pregnant. In fact, he was rather planning on it some day in the not so distant future. He wanted a whole bundle of kids with her. Ones that would never feel about him the way he did about his father.

He sighed and cut that thought off. Thinking about his family was the only sure fire way to get him annoyed, well that and people saying things about Nanao they had no right to be saying. He settled back and tried to fall asleep, after all he had to be up at some hour in the early afternoon so he could help her in the office for a bit. He'd never be the best Taicho ever, but at least he was trying, and she didn't have nearly as many late nights anymore. Well, at least not doing paperwork that is.

* * *

**A/N: So the reaction to the last chapter was about what I expected. Some people liked it, others not so much. Hopefully the story still continues to be good enough that you still want to read it :)**

**To Ukitakefan14, I actually didn't forget that his mother was excited when she thought Nanao was his daughter. While the actual blood binding travels through the men in the family, his mother was just happy he'd decided to start procreating. It'd have given her ample ammunition to harass him into having more children until he got a son, if he'd set the precedence by having a child in the first place. Besides that, she really does just want grandchildren regardless of the key thing, so even a girl was a step in the right direction.**

**Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed some of the fluff, and as always I can't wait to read reviews. I really do try to take all comments into consideration, and don't mind constructive criticism! Thanks for all the encouragement so far!**


	6. Dresses and Cocktails

"Yoo hoo, Nanao-chan," Rangiku called again.

"Hmm?" Nanao hummed, trying to remember what her friend had been asking her. "What?"

"I asked if this one looked good," the blonde repeated giving her a quizzical look. She twirled around once more making the dress flare around her knees.

"Rangiku-san, everything looks good on you," Nanao said, smiling at her patiently.

"You're just saying that so you can leave," Rangiku pouted.

"Well we have been in this store for an hour now," Nanao pointed out. "I don't think there are even anymore dresses to try on."

The SWA had decided to host a dance, and Matsumoto was determined to find a dress in the living world. They were selling the tickets to the dance to cover the expenses and help support the SWA as a whole. It was the only reason Nanao had agreed to it, and now she was regretting the decision. Not that everyone wouldn't have just bowled over her protests and held the thing anyway. It just would have been horribly organized, and probably would have consisted of a lot of candy and the color pink. As it was, the dance was still a couple months away, and Nanao was slowly being driven insane by her best friend.

"Come on, you've only tried on one dress at that other store, and you've been out of it all day," Rangiku commented. "What is going on?"

"You know I don't get excited for dances and dresses. I also have more than enough time to find one," she said, waving her friend's concern away. "And that dress is very nice on you, although I think I still prefer the blue one you tried on earlier today."

"You aren't the least bit excited?" Rangiku coaxed, moving away from the mirror. "I still can't believe you convinced Kyouraku-dono to let us have it in the Kyouraku gardens. You'll get to spend the whole night dancing with Shunsui-kun."

Nanao snorted at that. "You mean I'll get to spend the whole night trying to manage and run the party with his mother while Shunsui harasses me into dancing with him, and then I'll have to make sure you two drunken fools make it home. Besides, you have Shunsui to thank for the location. He was the one that talked his mother into it by saying all the nobles would attend, and it'd be a good place to propose. I had nothing to do with it."

"Well, either way, I'm still excited, and I plan on finding a man to make sure I make it home," Matsumoto said grinning.

"I'm sure you will," Nanao replied, glancing at her friend's ensemble again. "You do realize when you lean over in that I can see down to your belly button?"

"Hmm," Matsumoto said thoughtfully as she bent over and glanced down her own dress. "So you can."

"How are you ladies doing?" the sales assistant asked, cheerfully popping back into the dressing room.

"Just fine, just fine," Rangiku answered happily. "Although my friend needs something skimpy to try on. She's trying to get her boyfriend to propose." The sales woman winked conspiratorially at them and scurried back out into the store.

"Why did you do that?" Nanao whined, thumping her head back against the wall behind her.

"What? You need a dress," Rangiku stated unconcerned.

"I don't think Shunsui needs any encouragement," she said rolling her eyes.

"Which begs the question of why you haven't just said yes already," Rangiku commented, glancing over her shoulder as she disappeared behind the curtain again to try on another dress.

"He asked me to marry him before he asked me out on a date practically. That doesn't scream forethought, Rangiku-san," she said lightly.

"Well if you wanted a man with foresight you certainly shouldn't be dating him, but you can't honestly believe he wants to marry you on a whim," Rangiku said.

"No, of course not," Nanao said. shaking her head. "I just don't see any reason to rush." Which wasn't entirely true now. Despite Shunsui's reassurances, she'd spent the last week wondering if she should just hurry up and give in so as to keep him safer. She was planning on marrying him at some point anyway, so perhaps his mother was right. Why wait? Except she had to worry about her own sanity whenever she had thoughts like, perhaps his mother was right.

"Well, what is going to make you say yes? Do you have like a set timeline of how long everything is supposed to go? Say, two years for dating, one year for living together, then you can get married, and two years after that you'll have twins? Seems awfully controlling don't you think?" Rangiku asked, as Nanao listened to the sound of shifting fabric.

"I don't have a timeline," Nanao defended, rolling her eyes. "I just like the way things are. It might not matter much to other people, but I've never gotten to just date and have a boyfriend. It's all new to me. I just don't want to miss anything interesting because I'm too busy rushing headlong into the next step. Beyond that I've seen Shunsui's interest wane a million times before. I know I shouldn't still be concerned, but I can't help it. I want him to have ample time to make sure he really does want only me."

"Oh, Nanao-chan," Matsumoto said, coming out in a clingy red number. "I didn't mean to make fun of you or your concerns, although him not wanting you seems like a silly one. It's just hard to see how perfect you two are together and not expect the next logical step to take place. You do it however you want, honey. Besides, it's more fun like this, because I get to tease Shun-kun for being unable to convince you."

"Glad to give you ammunition," Nanao answered sarcastically. "Jyuushiro-san seems to enjoy it as well."

"Speaking of," Rangiku said, returning to eyeing herself critically in the mirror. "I happened to be meditating out in one of the training fields the other day."

"More like you were hiding from your Taicho behind some of the rocks out there and fell asleep," Nanao corrected with a quick laugh, knowing her friend's habits well.

"Details," Rangiku said brushing her off. "Anyway I wake up, and Ukitake-san had come out to practice. Had his shirt off and everything. It was yum."

"Matsumoto," Nanao started.

"Oh, don't get all huffy, I'm just saying the man's attractive. Especially shirtless. Do you think you could goad the two of them into training together?"

"Shunsui and Jyuushiro? Why?" Nanao asked, not following. Matsumoto was not known for her interest in training.

"Obviously, because if both Ukitake and Kyouraku get half naked and we film it, the SWA could sell it for big bucks," she said like it was the most apparent point ever made in history. "Shunsui-kun's always been more than happy to help with our little projects in the past. I'm sure they'd both be game if you asked very sweetly."

"You're nuts," Nanao said shaking her head.

"And you're selfish, keeping sights like that all to yourself."

"I've only seen Ukitake-san shirtless a handful of times," Nanao defended, as she definitely couldn't make any claims about not seeing all of Shunsui often.

"Well, that's a handful more than most people," Rangiku said easily. "You should learn to share."

"Go sexually objectify some other man," Nanao said grumpily.

"Think your brother would be up for it?" the woman asked wiggling her eyebrows.

"Go sexually objectify a man I don't know!" Nanao corrected.

"But we know all the same men!" Rangiku protested.

"You know a lot more of the men in the Seireitei than I do," Nanao argued.

"Yes, but all the good ones we both know," she replied laughing.

"Well then do it in your head," Nanao commanded. "I get enough pervy comments from Shunsui."

"Miss?" came a hesitant voice behind them. The sales girl came back in holding a very slinky black dress in her hands. "This one should be your size and is sure to woo any man." The clerk held it up for her to see and Nanao sighed.

"I can't wear a backless dress," Nanao said curtly.

"Not your style? It really does look gorgeous on," the sales woman pressed.

"I have scarring," Nanao said bluntly. It was true that the scarring was not so bad anymore. In fact, over the past year and a half, the 4th had been able to fade most of it, but it was still visible if one looked closely or knew what they were looking for. Either way, Nanao did not feel confident with her back showing, no matter how many times Shunsui kissed down her spine and told her she was perfect just the way she was.

"Maybe something low cut in front," Rangiku said, trying to alleviate the sales woman's worried look. The girl nodded and hurried out of the room. "Now the poor thing is terrified she's offended you."

"I don't want to try any dresses on, Rangiku-san," Nanao said tiredly. "Can't we just go home now? You've tried on everything in the store."

"Nanao, really, why are you so moody this week?" Rangiku asked, looking at her seriously. "Is something wrong?"

"Not really, no," she said, and then sighed at her friend's disbelieving look. She'd really contemplated telling Rangiku the truth, but she'd had the feeling that Shunsui's safety lay in no one knowing the story at all. Not that she thought Rangiku would spread it around, but at the same time the less people who knew the better, and it wasn't like there was anything her friend could do about it. So she made up an excuse. "Shunsui's mother is just being overly annoying with the baby stuff. Sometimes I want to mess up the kido contraceptive just so that she'll shut up."

"Then do it," Rangiku said shrugging. "It's not like Shunsui would mind. Although if you want to make it the slightest bit plausible, I'd mess it up when Shunsui cast the spell, as no one's going to believe you made a mistake on accident."

"I don't want kids right now," Nanao groaned. "I like my job, and could you imagine if I were pregnant? I barely go out on any missions as it is with Shunsui looking over my shoulder all the time. I haven't been in a real fight in years, at least not any that haven't consisted of me firing off kido from the furthest range he could order me back to. If I were pregnant, he'd be more than happy to use absolutely every excuse to make me sit around and do nothing. Then add in his mother coming to coddle me, and I think I would rather walk stark naked straight into Hueco Mundo."

"Kinky. So you're upset that you'd be forced to lie around and sleep and eat while everyone waited on you hand and foot?" Matsumoto asked. "Well if you don't want to have his baby, I'll volunteer to be a surrogate!"

Nanao laughed and tossed one of the abandoned dresses at her friend. "I've seen the unhealthy crap you eat. I'm certainly not letting my baby have that kind of diet before it's even born."

"Oh come on, I'll eat right, I promise," Rangiku whined.

"Well, that probably is true, since you'll have Kyouraku-dono hovering over you every second of the day making sure you do absolutely everything by the book. She'll probably have you eating perfectly healthy with no sweets at all, and exercising the proper way, and listening to classical music. Also, absolutely no alcohol. Then, of course, there is the actual birthing part, which I've heard only hurts and is disgusting for a few hours. Nothing like popping a watermelon sized object out from between your legs," Nanao said thoughtfully. She watched her friend's face turn progressively whiter and laughed. "So, ok, you have yourself a deal."

"On second thought, carry your own baby," Rangiku said. "Man, now I need a drink."

"I will get a drink with you if we can leave this store right now," Nanao bargained.

"Deal," Matsumoto sang happily, slipping back into the stall to change into her own clothes. "I can totally see why you don't want to get pregnant anytime soon," she called from behind the curtain. "It sounds awful when you really think about it."

Nanao just snorted and hoped they could get out of there before the assistant came back. While she was not looking forward to all the things pregnancy was going to entail, she did want kids someday, and she did want them with Shunsui, but she supposed if he said it was fine then it was fine, they could wait.

"Ready," Rangiku said, picking up her purse and coming out.

"Perfect," Nanao agreed. "Let's get out of here before she comes back with another dress."

They managed to slip out of the store without further harassment and find a cute little restaurant not too far away from the shopping district. It was nice to have some time out with just the girls, and between stories and meals Nanao didn't realize how much she had drunk until they both stood up and tried to make their giggling way home. The shinigami at the gate looked at them both questioningly, and Nanao had tried to dismiss him as soberly as possible. It was a wonder they made it to Shunsui's house at all.

"Open the door," Rangiku called as she knocked heavily on the wood. "We've got a bathroom emergency out here, as in I drank too much and now I've got to pee, so open up."

Nanao giggled next to her and slid past her to push the door open. "He rarely ever locks it if he's home," she explained. "Because he's an idiot."

"Thank kami for that," Rangiku said, bolting past her and then stopping indecisively in the middle of the hall.

"Down that way, second door on the left," Nanao explained as she absentmindedly kicked a shoe off. If Rangiku came to visit her, it was generally in her own apartment. In fact, that was where they had been heading, but it'd suddenly been much too far away, and they'd stopped off in the first place they came to.

"Ran-chan?" came Kyouraku's startled voice, as she must have gone flying past him. He rounded the corner and spotted her supporting herself on the wall and yanking the other shoe off. "Nanao-chan, are you two alright?"

"We're fine," she said nodding. "Ran-chan had to pee."

"Are you drunk?" he asked coming closer.

"Only slightly," she defended sinking into him when he got near enough. She wrapped her arms around his waist and gave a happy sigh.

"Are you only here to use the bathroom then?" he asked.

"Don't want me around?" she interrogated, grinning up at him.

"It's not that," he instantly argued. "Just you were having a girl's night with Ran-chan, so I invited some people over to keep me company through the sad lonely hours without you."

Nanao scanned the house blurrily for reiatsu signatures and picked up on Ukitake, his two third seats, Unohana, and mysteriously of all Hisagi. "So sorry to interrupt," she said sarcastically.

"I didn't say you were interrupting," he placated. "I just thought you might need an explanation for why I didn't just instantly drag you back to my room."

"You couldn't have just not wanted to take advantage of a drunk woman?" she asked.

"Drunk sex isn't too bad," he replied with a smile and an easy shrug.

"You're a pervert," she chastised, all the while pressing closer to him.

"Says the woman who is intentionally trying to torture me," he said with a laugh.

"Shunsui are you coming back?" Jyuushiro called.

"So that's it," Nanao said, looking up at him from under her eyelashes. "You've finally decided to leave me for Jyuushiro-san. Well, I hope you are both very happy together."

"And I hope you boys are interested in a threesome," Matsumoto added, laughing as she returned to the front hall and caught the end of conversation.

"We should go," Nanao said, stumbling back from him and glancing around trying to find the shoes she'd just kicked off.

"Oh, let's go to my place," Rangiku said moving towards her. "I've got some of the best sake there. Thanks for the bathroom, Shun-kun."

"Not a chance," Shunsui said, grabbing Nanao's arm and steadying her as she almost tripped over her own discarded shoe. "You aren't putting anymore sake in her tonight."

"Party pooper," Rangiku reprimanded.

"Yeah, party pooper," Nanao added and then giggled herself.

"Sorry, darling," he apologized smiling. "Ran-chan doesn't have to deal with you when you are hung over, and you are not very nice."

"One time," she defended.

"You almost slammed my hand in the door."

"Well you wouldn't get out of the bathroom so I could throw up in peace," Nanao said with a shrug.

"Come on, Shun-kun, we'll be out of your hair, and Nanao-chan can stay with me," Rangiku threw in, looking hopeful with big puppy dog eyes.

"I have plenty of good sake in the other room," he said, "And no one said _you _had to stop drinking."

"Oh, Nan-chan, let's stay here," the woman said, happy to not be footing the bill.

"But then how are him and Jyuushiro-san going to have alone time?" she asked confused.

"We're having alone time?" the white haired Taicho asked as he entered the front hall to figure out what was going on.

"Mmmhmm," Nanao said, trying to remember what had been so important earlier that day. "And I'm supposed to film it!" she added excitedly, as she recalled her assigned duty.

"Shun, what is she talking about?" Ukitake asked looking slightly disturbed. Matsumoto had to use the wall to support herself as she laughed.

"I have no idea," Shunsui said honestly.

"It's because Jyuushiro-san is hot without his shirt on," Nanao explained, which only caused Rangiku to have another fit of giggles. "And so are you," she said, grinning up at Shunsui and obviously pleased with herself for having remembered.

"As much as I appreciate the compliment, it'd be better if you weren't hitting on Jyuu too," he said with a chuckle, tucking her into his side and heading towards the other room.

"Selfish," she chastised lightly.

"Only with you, my sweet lovely Nanao-chan," he said, and kissed the top of her head. "Now I have guests to entertain." Ukitake and Matsumoto followed them back into the other room where everyone was sitting on his back porch and eating and drinking. They called out pleasant greetings, and Shunsui resumed his cross-legged position leaning against the house. Nanao glanced around briefly as Ukitake and Matsumoto picked seats for themselves, and wondered if the porch was suddenly more comfortable than she previously remembered. Deciding it probably wasn't, she heedlessly sank down into Kyouraku's lap. Shunsui managed to not spill the cup of sake in his hands, and adjusted to let her curl up more comfortably on his legs.

"Now we need a camera," Rangiku called happily.

"Why?" Nanao asked, lifting her head from her Taicho's shoulder and looking at him and then Ukitake. "They both still have their shirts on."

Rangiku started laughing all over again and reached for the sake.

"Why wouldn't they have their shirts on?" Kiyone called confused.

"Because they are more attractive without them," Rangiku supplied smiling audaciously. "Oh, Hisagi, you could lose your shirt too, none of us would mind."

"Hey, what about me?" Sentaro called.

"Everyone can take their shirts off," Nanao placated tiredly, closing her eyes as she leaned against Shunsui. He really was quite warm and comfortable.

"I don't want to take my shirt off," Kiyone said, looking confused.

"And nobody wants to see you take it off," Sentaro quipped, reaching for the sake.

"It isn't like anyone wants to see you naked, booger brains," Kiyone called back angrily. This of course launched another one of their ridiculous fights.

Shunsui chuckled underneath her, and she felt it reverberate around her body. "My Nanao-chan stirs up trouble when she's had too much to drink," he commented, watching the two third seats simultaneously try to strip themseleves and keep the other one clothed.

"I'm just saying," Nanao replied with a yawn. "That if a few people take their tops off, it's only fair that everyone's allowed to."

"Ukitake Taicho, who would you rather see naked?" both 3rd seats demanded suddenly in a freaky act of simultaneousness.

Ukitake looked around at the others, hoping someone would supply him with an out, but everyone else was having too much fun watching him squirm.

"Well, I," he started and then stopped, obviously at a loss for what to say.

"He can't decide that," Nanao said finally, rolling her eyes. Jyuushiro shot her a grateful look.

"Why not?" Kiyone demanded. "It should be easy. I'm much more attractive than this goober."

"Obviously he can't say if he's never seen either of you naked," Nanao said waving a hand at them. "That's like telling someone to pick their favorite soup when they've never had any."

"Fine," Sentaro said, and started tugging at his shirt. Kiyone instantly leapt on him, and they both rolled off the porch arguing that no one wanted to see the other naked all over again.

Rangiku and Shunsui didn't even try to contain their laughter. "I'm glad you both can laugh," Jyuushiro said, watching his subordinates wrestle with an exasperated look. "I'm eventually going to have to settle this fight for them, and I have no idea how."

"Perhaps you could just say that due to your sexual preferences it would not be a fair fight, and they may need to go elsewhere for a more neutral deciding vote," Unohana offered serenely. She'd been nursing her one cup of sake all evening and, as always, had her wits about her.

"But who would that put him in favor of?" Matsumoto asked wiggling her eyebrows.

"I blame you for everyone thinking I'm gay," he said, glaring over at Shunsui.

Shunsui just shrugged and Nanao grumbled at him as the movement shifted her comfortable position. "Hey, I didn't have anything to do with it," he defended.

"Yes, you did," Nanao commented, twisting around in his lap to lean against his other shoulder. "Like all those times you practiced your love poetry on him in public."

"Well, you wouldn't let me practice on you, so that was more your fault Nanao-chan," Shunsui said smiling.

"It was bad poetry," she replied shrugging. "Only Jyuushiro-san was nice enough to sit through it."

Shunsui gave her a soft teasing push that in her drunken state had her halfway out of his lap anyway. "Go use someone else as a seat if you are going to be mean."

"Fine," she said, and started crawling away from him. "I'll go sit in Jyuushiro-san's lap."

"You're more than welcome to," Jyuushiro said, shooting a triumphant grin over at his friend.

She quickly felt an arm latch around her waist as she was pulled back in a heap into her former position. "What?"

"On second thought, you're fine right here," Shunsui said, sticking his tongue out at Jyuushiro.

"As fun as this has been," Hisagi finally put in, "I need to be going."

"Going where?" Matsumoto whined. "Hot date?"

"Lots of paperwork," he clarified.

"It's the weekend," Rangiku said looking disgusted.

"A division doesn't run itself," he said. "I really just needed to hand something off to Ukitake Taicho. I didn't have any intention of taking a break."

"That's why you needed one," Jyuushiro said lightly.

"If you need a fukutaicho, you just let me know," Nanao said with a giggle.

"Hey, you already have a job," Shunsui argued.

"You just shoved me out of your lap," she pointed out. "Who'd wanna work for you?"

"Mean," Shunsui said. "Well, who'd want a cruel fukutaicho like yourself?"

"Basically anyone that needs help with the paperwork," Nanao said confidently. "So pretty much everyone."

"Well, the 8th needs the most help there, so you aren't allowed to leave," he argued.

"Fine, then stop squirming around so I can sleep," she commanded.

That got another round of laughs. "Whatever my Nanao-chan desires," he soothed, letting her settle more comfortably against him.

"You were way more fun as a fukutaicho, Hisagi _Taicho_," Rangiku said, happily pouring herself another drink.

"You leave him alone," Nanao chastised, raising her head again. "Someone has to do the work so people like you and Shunsui can lay about and be irresponsible. So unless you want to help him, you let him do what he needs to do and no more teasing."

"Isn't she going to be a great mother," Shunsui asked grinning. "They'll be the most productive children on earth."

"Not if they're yours," Nanao replied with a snort.

"I really should go," Hisagi repeated. "Thank you, Nanao-san, for the defense."

"Anytime," she replied, yawning and waving a dismissive hand at him. He started towards the door and Nanao tucked her head against Shunsui's neck, letting her eyes close. The conversation picked up again, as the two third seats had finally left off fighting for a few minutes, and Nanao drifted comfortably between sleeping and waking.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she woke up to Shunsui carrying her down the hall. "Where's everybody?" she asked sleepily as she registered the dizzying sensation of being half drunk and half hung over. She tiredly pulled herself up in his arms, making it easier than just carrying her dead weight around.

"They went home," he said quietly. "It's late, Nanao-chan."

She just hummed a small sound of approval, and let him put her down in his bed. "I need a shirt," she commented, really just wanting to go back to sleep, but also not wanting to get in his bed with her day clothes on. She'd left clothes here over the past months, but she always preferred his shirts to sleep in anyway so she never bothered to bring pajamas.

He chuckled and went to get her one while she quickly stripped off her pants and top. He tugged the shirt on over her head, and she instantly curled up in the bed. "Sleep well," he said, kissing her forehead. He made to move away from the bed, and she caught his sleeve.

"Where're you going?" she muttered tiredly. "Come to bed."

"I will," he said. "But first I have to get Ran-chan off the porch and into the guest room. Unless you think I should leave her passed out, outside over night?"

Nanao dropped her hold on his sleeve and simply said, "Fine, but come back fast." She must have dozed again as it seemed like only a few seconds before he was crawling into the bed next to her. Nanao let him get settled before she rolled into his side and latched an arm and a leg around him.

"It'd be so much easier if you just lived here," he commented, running a hand through her hair.

She raised her head and stared at him for a little while before saying, "Ok," and lying back down.

"Ok to what?" he asked confused.

"Ok, I'll live here," she said simply. "But you can't be mean to Boo, even if he shreds your pink haori. You shouldn't have hung it there in the first place. You know he likes to climb on things. He's just a little kitty, and he didn't know any better."

"And yet your curtains remain intact," he said with a snort. "That little monster knew exactly what he was doing."

"Well, I can't live here if he can't come," she pouted.

"In the morning when you're sober, you won't want to move in anyway," he pointed out.

"I'm sober enough," she argued. "Besides I've been thinking about it all week, and I was not drinking then."

"All week since I told you my family history?" he asked with a sigh.

"Hey," she defended, knowing what he was thinking. "I'm not marrying you, and I'm not having your kid. I just said I would move in. It's not out of pity or fear. It just makes sense, and we're wasting money having two homes."

"Nanao-chan, if you keep talking like this, I'm going to hold you to it in the morning," he said smiling.

"You can, as long as you're nice to Boo," she reiterated.

"Nanao-chan, to have you in my bed every night and living in the same home everyday, I'd be nice to my whole family," he said, "So I think I can handle one little pipsqueak cat."

"Ok, then," she said and pressed more firmly against his side. "Is Rangiku ok?"

"She'll be fine," Shunsui answered happily. "Now, go to sleep. Retsu-san left me with some hangover tonic for the morning, so maybe you won't have to beat me up."

"Big baby," she teased through a yawn.

"Love you, Nanao-chan."

"Love you too," she mumbled and then just as quickly drifted back off to sleep.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it's a little late. Busy weekend and all. Hope it was worth the extra day.**

**Also I didn't get the chance to respond to reviews yet, it doesn't mean I don't love and read them all, it just means I figured you all would want this chapter more than you'd want to wait for me to respond. I will definitely try to catch up later today though, so yes, please review this one too, and I will try to be better :)**


	7. Rabbits

"Wasn't she drunk?" Jyuushiro asked critically. It wasn't that he enjoyed crushing Shunsui's hopes, but he found he was always necessary to put some reality into his friend's day.

"She was the first time, but when she woke up today I asked her again," Shunsui said happily, lying in Jyuushiro's almost restored garden.

"And then you were so extremely happy that you thought it'd be best to leave your hung over girlfriend at home and come tell me?" Jyuushiro asked, using his arm to wipe the sweat off his forehead. He stood up and moved back to make sure he was planting everything where it would look best.

"Hey!" Shunsui said, pushing himself up on his elbows and tilting his hat back. "I had a hangover tonic for her, and I wanted to stay, but then her and Rangiku-chan kicked me out of my own home to have a girls' 'hangover day'. Whatever that is. You should have pity on me, not be scolding me."

"Wait, did Nanao-san kick you out or did Matsumoto-san?"

"I think it was more Ran-chan," Shunsui said contemplating it. "I think Nanao-chan would have just crawled back in bed and slept all day if given the choice. Why?"

"Well, for a moment I thought it was Nanao-san, which would mean once she moves in this kicking out would become a permanent thing, which then means you'd be over here all the time."

"I'm starting to think you don't like me very much," Shunsui whined, plopping back down on the ground. "You better be careful, or I'll just disappear one day.

"It's a good thing you don't have any other friends to replace me with," Jyuushiro said with a laugh, going back to his digging. "And I have no fear that wherever you were hiding, Nanao-san could sniff you out in a few minutes. The woman has an unmatchable talent for being able to find you."

"That's because we're soul mates, and when we are separated from each other our reiatsus cry out to one another from across the gulf," Shunsui declared dramatically.

Jyuushiro just snorted. "That or she's been with you so long that she just has a very good grasp on how your twisted mind works. Besides, eventually anyone can find you if they wait long enough. Just stake out the biggest sake cache and you will show up sometime. Come on, I think I'm done here for now. Let's go get something cold to drink."

"Chilled sake?" Shunsui asked hopefully.

"I'm sure I can find some," Jyuushiro replied rolling his eyes.

He distinctly remembered one of the noble women Shunsui's mother had tried to match Shunsui with decades ago who had spent most of her time trying to cure Shunsui's "alcoholism". All it had served to do was make him drink more, if only to annoy her. It'd been amusing to watch Shunsui sometimes act like he was completely wasted around her when the truth was he hadn't had a drop of alcohol at all. Any normal girl would have given up quickly, but she'd been convinced she'd make the perfect rich Kyouraku wife. The woman had only given up when Kyouraku had gone on a "drunken" tangent about how he'd used up all his share of the family fortune and owed the debtors a bunch of money. Then he'd asked her for a loan, and the woman had left and never looked back.

"Jyuu?" Shunsui asked, drawing his attention back to him.

"Yes?"

"I told Nanao-chan about my little family problem," he said casually.

"Any particular reason why?" he asked curiously. Jyuushiro was well aware that he was one of the very few people that new the truth about Kyouraku's family. He'd been there when Shunsui had had a pregnancy scare right after academy where he'd thought he'd gotten one of his random hookups knocked up. Shunsui had freaked out for about a week that he was going to be stuck with the girl for life, and then she'd gotten her monthly and all had been right with the world.

"My mother was pressuring her again," Shunsui said shrugging. "Told her my life was in danger, and you know how Nanao gets. She'd have either beaten it out of me eventually or would have refused to talk to me for weeks until I broke and gave her what she wanted anyway."

Nanao always had been the master of the cold shoulder, although she caved to Shunsui more than Jyuushiro thought she altogether wanted to. "You could have lied," he offered. "Your mother is nuts, she'd have believed whatever you told her."

"I thought maybe she should know," he answered unsurely. Nanao was also one of the rare things that made Shunsui lose some of his confidence. "I mean I plan on marrying her anyway so it will eventually affect her on some small level. Regardless of whether or not I think it is an actual threat, it still puts any male children we have in a more vulnerable spot."

"So it sounds like you made a wise decision," Jyuushiro commented lightly. "What's the problem?"

"I think she might be moving in with me because she's worried about it," he sighed, taking the bottle of sake Jyuushiro had just produced from one of his cabinets.

"And that's a problem?" Jyuushiro prompted.

"I don't want her to be with me because she's scared," Shunsui said.

"I don't think you really have to worry about it," Jyuushiro said calmly. "Nanao-san loves you and chose to be with you long before this revelation. If it just prompts her to move a little faster, well, really what's the trouble in that? You plan on being with her forever, and you aren't getting any younger."

"You know what? I don't need to be told I'm getting old by a man who's seven months older than me," Shunsui shot back.

"Well I'm just saying, maybe you should convince her to have children with you before your old knees give out," Jyuushiro teased. "Your children are probably going to be little barbarians so you're going to be chasing them down quite a bit."

"You're getting as mean as my family," Shunsui pouted.

"Stating facts isn't being mean," Jyuushiro said laughing.

"Yare, yare," Shunsui said, sitting down and pouring the sake. "So how're your siblings doing?"

"They're well. Yuki's about to have her third child, so I'm sure I'll take some time off to visit. You should come. Yuki would be happy to see you."

"When did Yuki-chan-chan get so big?" Shunsui said with a sigh.

Shunsui had called his little sister that since their first meeting, and despite her being a grown woman now, she still allowed Shunsui the luxury of the ridiculous name. She'd been madly in love with his best friend when she was a teenager, and Shunsui had always been kind to her without encouraging her affections. Jyuushiro had made it clear that he would destroy Shunsui if the boy slept with his little sister and then dumped her. Like most teenagers, she'd overcome the crush and moved on, but she'd always been fond of Shunsui.

"You should bring Nanao-san with you," Jyuushiro said. "Yuki wanted to meet her the last time I was talking about you getting boring and settling down."

"Oh, Yuki-chan-chan and Nanao-chan would get along well," Shunsui said thoughtfully. "Although that would just mean two women harassing me at once."

"You just got kicked out of your own home by two women," Jyuushiro pointed out. "I don't think it'd be much of a change from usual."

"What can I say? I'm just a lady pleaser," he replied with a wink. "Let me know when you plan to go, and I'll see if I can convince Nanao to come along. Now, tell me about the new treatment Retsu is trying."

"What's there to say?" Jyuushiro asked with a slightly depressed sigh. He hated talking about his illness, but Shunsui insisted on being kept up to date. He'd just go and harass Retsu if Jyuushiro didn't tell him. "It's just another thing that probably won't work."

"All the same," Shunsui said. "Tell me about it. If nothing else, it must be fun getting physical exams by such a lovely lady."

"You're incorrigible," Jyuushiro said with a smile, which he was sure had been Shunsui's intention all along. He was a good man in his own ridiculous way.

* * *

"Nanao, come on, I can't figure out how to make it," Matsumoto whined pushing ingredients in her friend's face.

"Go away," Nanao demanded, rolling over to bury her face further in Shunsui's couch. She felt horrible, and she wasn't sure how Shunsui and Rangiku put up with this feeling on a consistent basis. Although then again, neither her Taicho nor her friend ever seemed particularly hung over the next day. They must know something she didn't.

"Please, I'm hungry," Rangiku cajoled.

"Then go buy something, and leave me alone," Nanao said firmly.

"We're having a girl's day," Rangiku argued. "I can't leave."

"You were the one that decided that," Nanao replied. "Why'd you send Shunsui away?"

"Oh, is the fragile Nanao-chan missing her man?" Rangiku teased.

"At least Shunsui is sympathetic," Nanao defended, glaring over at her friend. "Times like these are the only ones where his babying and over protectiveness come in handy."

"Should I go get him and tell him poor, tiny Nanao-chan is in desperate need of her big strong boyfriend?" Rangiku taunted, trying to shame Nanao into having a girl's day with her and making lunch for them.

"Yes, please," Nanao moaned. Her stomach hurt, her head hurt, her legs hurt, and she was so tired. All she wanted was someone to give her some bland food, rub her back, and carry her back to the bed. She was more than sure that Shunsui would be happy and willing to do all of those things.

Rangiku started laughing hard, and Nanao cringed at the sound. "Only a couple of months ago, you'd have killed yourself before you let me go say that to him, let alone encourage me to."

"A couple of months ago I didn't make the stupid decision to drink this much," she whined.

"Shunsui-kun is making you into a big mush," Matsumoto said still giggling.

"I'm in pain, Rangiku," Nanao argued. "Be helpful or get someone who will be."

"You are such a lightweight drinker," Rangiku commented. "Does Shunsui know how to cook?"

"If you count setting things on fire and poisoning people as cooking, then yes," Nanao said.

"Well, then what good is he to me?" Rangiku asked.

"He can buy lunch on the way back here," Nanao proposed.

"Are you allowed to offer his generosity out like that?" Rangiku asked with another laugh.

"Yes," Nanao said confidently, trying to readjust on the couch as her stomach cramped up again. "Can you go get him now? He's at Jyuushiro-san's."

"Come on, you're the vice president of the SWA," Rangiku said. "When did you get this pathetically dependent on a man?"

"When a stupid woman got me drunk by ordering fruity drinks that I couldn't taste the potency of and then thought it was ok to come bursting into my bedroom at seven in the morning screeching about finishing our girl's day," Nanao growled at her.

"I had to come in early before Shunsui-kun would have woken up, otherwise who knows what I would have walked in on?" Matsumoto pouted. "I had to get to you before you two started going at it like rabbits."

Nanao gave her a disgusted look and rolled over. "We aren't like rabbits."

"Uh huh, is that why you both disappeared halfway through Ukitake-san's party last summer and then mysteriously returned an hour and a half later soaking wet, " Matsumoto said with disbelief in her tone. "Are you sure he'll buy me lunch if I go get him?"

"Tell him I'm not moving in if he doesn't," Nanao grumbled. "And we just went for a walk to get some air and then he pushed me in the lake which of course invoked retaliation, so get your mind out of the gutter." Which was mostly true anyway. They had gone for a walk and he had pushed her into the lake. Then she'd knocked his feet out with kido and he'd tumbled in after her. If they'd fooled around a bit after that, well it was nobody else's business.

"Wait? You're moving in?" Rangiku shrieked, and Nanao thought her brain was going to explode. She couldn't even contemplate how bad she'd be feeling if she hadn't had Unohana Taicho's hangover tonic.

"Yes, if I live through today," she moaned.

"You are so overdramatic," Rangiku chastised. "Really, it's just a little hangover. Now tell me why you're moving in."

"Because it's so much easier to go at it like rabbits when you live in the same house," she answered sarcastically.

"Nanao," Rangiku whined.

"It just seemed like it was the right time," Nanao said with a shrug.

"Are you sure?" Rangiku asked more seriously.

"It's Shunsui," Nanao said glancing up at her. "I'm sure."

"Wonderful!" Rangiku said and clapped making Nanao wince again. "I'm going to go make him buy me a huge lunch."

"Fabulous, go," Nanao said. Her friend shunpoed out of the house, and Nanao sighed in relief. She quickly sank into sleep again and was thankful when it was dreamless.

She wasn't sure how long had passed when she once again woke up in Shunsui's arms. "Hey, sweetheart, didn't mean to wake you," he said quietly.

"Rangiku?" she asked, glancing around sleepily and happy that she felt much better after sleeping more.

"Went home after I fed her," Shunsui said with a chuckle. "She didn't seem interested in staying once she saw you'd fallen asleep again. Said you were about as much fun with a hangover as her Taicho is on the hottest day of summer. How are you feeling?"

"Slightly more functional," Nanao said. "I'm never drinking again."

"You just have to build up a tolerance, love," he said smiling at her gently.

"Or I could just not drink," she countered rolling her eyes.

"But Nanao-chan is a cute and very affectionate drunk," he cooed.

"Where are we going?" she asked, ignoring his good-natured teasing.

"Bathroom," he said lightly. "Nothing makes you feel more human than a nice warm bath."

"I just want to sleep," she argued.

"I'll give you a back rub too," he coaxed.

"In the bath?" Nanao asked, grinning up at him.

"Is there any other way?" he asked happily.

"Rangiku's right," she said as he set her feet down on the bathroom floor.

"Oh? About what?" he asked.

"We are kind of like rabbits," she answered as he started to pull her shirt up over her head.

"I've always been fond of rabbits," he said, grinning back as she reached for his obi belt.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating. Last weekend I got the idea for my little one shot Healing stuck in my head and couldn't get on with this story until I got that one out. Hope you all don't mind too much, and thanks to all of you that reviewed it :) In fact many people seemed to want that one to continue…. Hmm maybe I'll go back to it after Legacy if I think of something good. Anyway reviews for this chapter, please. I know it's still a bit of fluff, but trust me we're getting there.**


	8. Gossip

It'd been a hectic week for Nanao. For one, it was the week before the quarterly division review, and those were always awful. All the paperwork had to be perfect, the troops on a functioning schedule, and the facilities in pristine conditions for when the 1st division assessor came to look over the 8th on the following Monday. Then she'd also been moving a few things here and there into Shunsui's home every evening, although the majority of items were going to be moved this weekend. Also due to this, she'd been fending off questions and gossip right and left, many of them theorizing she was knocked up and that's why she was moving in.

"Nanao-chan! It's Friday!" her Taicho sang, bouncing into the office around noon. She'd left him in bed bright and early that morning just like every other morning. Unless she was willing to deny him sex for a while if he didn't wake up at the correct hour, there was just no getting him into the office on time. Besides the fact that that tactic drove her almost as mad as it did him, not only due to the lack of sex but also to the amount of whining and cajoling he'd attempt, it was almost easier having him out of the office in the mornings so she could actually get some work done.

"Yes it is, Taicho, now I have some forms laid out on your desk I need you to take a look at," she said glancing up at him.

"Oh come on, can't they wait till Monday?" he pouted.

"No, sir, they can't," she answered going back to her own paperwork.

"If I do them, can we leave at five o'clock tonight?" he asked hopefully.

"The review is on Monday, sir," she said sighing. "You know I never get out of here on time the week before."

"Please, Nanao-chan! They are having a kabuki performance in the 1st district tonight. I thought we could go and then get some dinner before we head home," he pleaded. He'd been taking great pleasure all week in saying let's go home at the end of each day. She almost wished she'd said yes to him sooner, considering how little it cost her and how happy it made him.

"I can't tonight," she sighed. "I have to finish the paperwork, assess the training schedule, and do one last sweep of the facilities."

"Oh come on, Nanao-chan," he wheedled. "I promise you won't get fired if there is a light bulb out somewhere in the building." She just gave him a dark look and bent back over her work. "Please," he whispered, suddenly right next to her ear and standing behind her. He moved his hand up to touch her neck and she snapped him away with her fan.

"I've told you once, I've told you a million times, not while we're at work," she scolded, refocusing on her forms as he backed off.

"I wasn't going to do anything," he whined, holding his hand like it was going to shatter into a million pieces. "Now I need a kiss to make it better."

"Shunsui-san," she said sharply, and she saw some of the playfulness go out of his face. He was well aware that she hated using his given name in the office and that if she was saying it he was actually starting to get in trouble. "All you are doing is delaying me from getting this done, and thus keeping me here longer tonight."

"Yare, yare, Nanao-chan," he said with a sigh. "I guess it's paperwork time." He sat down and started shuffling through the paperwork on his desk before picking up a pen and starting on it.

"Thank you," she said quietly, just to let him know he was already forgiven. He grinned over at her and there was peace in the office for a good twenty minutes.

"Uh-oh," he said briefly.

"What?" Nanao asked raising her head. "Don't tell me something happened to the paperwork."

"Paperwork is fine," he said standing up. "I've gotta go."

She narrowed her eyes at him and stood up too as he started heading for the door. Nanao latched on to his arm and looked at him critically. "Why are you bolting?"

"First rule of the office, Nanao-chan," he said with a mischievous grin, "No touching." Then he picked up her hand and removed it from his arm, quickly heading towards the door again.

She was so shocked that for a minute she didn't move, and then she put together all the signs. Him getting anxious, running, and actually passing up a chance to physically invade her space. Nanao scanned the surrounding area. "Absolutely not!" she yelled, following his quick pace past the secretaries who all looked up to stare.

"Don't know what you're talking about," he commented, not stopping or turning back to face her.

"I already dealt with your mother last time! You are not leaving me here alone this time," she stated firmly.

"What? She'll probably be in a good mood anyway given the news," he said shooting a grin over his shoulder. All the secretaries immediately started whispering, and Nanao groaned mentally as she could just feel the pregnancy rumors rising.

"Sir, if I have to, I will kido bind you to your desk," she threatened. "And although you may eventually be able to break it, you and I both know it won't happen before she gets here."

"You know, Jyuu always used to help me hide," he whined.

"Ukitake Taicho didn't have to stay in her company much longer than saying he didn't know where you were," Nanao defended.

"Mean," he pouted shifting indecisively on his feet and glancing again towards the exit.

"Get back in that office," Nanao said, pointing a finger back to the open office door.

"You're going to miss me when she's berated me into a crying ball in the corner," he said.

"How would that be any different then when you run out of sake?" she asked.

"You see what I put up with?" he asked the secretaries conspiratorially. "You all are my witnesses that I'm the abused one in this relationship." All the girls started giggling, and work resumed as Nanao marched him back into the office.

His mother arrived five minutes later, obviously having not used shunpo and both Taicho and fukutaicho waited rigidly as the door came open. "Shunsui," the woman said frostily, looking hard at her son, which was a bit unusual. "Nanao-san," she said somewhat more pleasantly, which scared Nanao out of her wits.

"You remember, Hayashi Kiyoko?" she asked to Shunsui, as she gestured to a beautiful petite woman who came in nervously behind her.

"Can't say that I do," Shunsui replied unconcerned.

His mother's harsh look intensified at that comment, and the girl behind her blushed violently. "Ise-san, isn't it your lunch break?" his mother asked softly.

Nanao wasn't altogether sure what to do in this situation. As much as she was happy to be given an out from Shunsui's family matters, something about the whole thing unsettled her greatly. His mother had brought women to meet him in the past, but not since they had begun dating, and Nanao wondered if this was her way of telling her to either get pregnant or get out of her son's life.

"Nanao-chan already had lunch," Shunsui said, which they both knew was a lie, but Nanao silently thanked him all the same, even if he'd only done it in order to not be alone with his mother.

"Shunsui, even you couldn't be this stupid," his mother said sharply.

"Mom, why are you here?" he asked exasperated.

"I suppose I should reintroduce you," he mother said coldly. "Kyouraku Shunsui, this is Hayashi Kiyoko from the far western territory. She stayed with our family for a few months years ago before you went to the Academy."

"Ah, I do remember," Shunsui said easily. "You were the girl that threw up all over Seichii after you ate too many sweets at that one festival." The girl looked even more embarrassed and tried to shuffle further behind his mother.

"And?" his mother prompted.

"And, what?" he asked.

"And you saw her at the meeting of the territory heads two months ago when you and your brother went to represent the Kyouraku family," his mother supplied.

Nanao remembered that particular trip. Shunsui had whined about it for weeks leading up to it. He'd been roped into it when his father had broken an ankle falling from his horse, and his mother had told Shunsui that either he and his brother went, or she and his father would move in with him. He'd been gone for an extended weekend and had come back demanding to be spoiled and fawned over as he said he had a rare case of Nanao deprivation. He'd been so persistent she'd had to call in sick one day that week. Her boss hadn't minded.

"Were you there too?" Shunsui asked blithely. "That's right you're from a noble family in the Apulia province, right?

"Yes, Shunsui-san," the girl said shyly. Her big sky blue eyes shifted between him and Nanao nervously, and Nanao wondered again why the girl was there.

"Shunsui, playing dumb will only get you so far. This is a mistake that isn't going to simply be brushed under the rug like so many others you've made," his mother put in darkly. "Kami help me, if your father and brother weren't away on business you'd already have been dragged home by your ears."

"What are you talking about?" Shunsui asked, and the playfulness was lost from his tone.

"Is this really the way you want Nanao-san to find out?" his mother demanded. "It would have been one thing a year or two ago. Then I'd be well and pleased, probably throwing you a party, but even I don't think this is right."

Nanao felt a sick feeling rise up in her stomach and was no longer sure she wanted to be present for this conversation. The petite blonde girl kept glancing over at her apprehensively and it was doing nothing to calm her nerves.

"Find out what?" Shunsui asked, looking honestly bewildered.

"Kiyoko-san is two months pregnant," his mother said simply. Nanao felt her stomach twist.

"Congratulations?" Shunsui half asked in confusion.

"You think just lying about this will make it go away?" his mother yelled.

"I don't understand what you are freaking out about," Shunsui stated calmly.

"She thinks the baby is yours," Nanao said, having figured the worst conclusion was probably the right one.

"What?" Shunsui asked in a yell that matched his mother's. "Why would you think that?"

"Because the girl claims that it has to be yours," his mother stated firmly.

"Well, then she's lying," Shunsui said. He swiftly turned to Nanao. "I don't know what they are talking about. Nanao, I'm not this kid's father. I don't even remember seeing her that weekend. You have to believe me."

"Shunsui," his mother tried to interrupt.

"If you say it wasn't you, then it wasn't you," Nanao said, trying to stay calm herself and ignore the two other people in the room. A look of relief passed over his features, and he turned back to the other women.

"Look, Hayashi-san, I don't know what exactly you're trying to pull, but it won't work," Shunsui said stonily. "You're going to have to find some other rich noble to pin this on."

At that the girl burst into tears, and regardless of what was happening it made Nanao want to hug her. She didn't seem like a girl to lie about this kind of thing. The girl looked more scared and miserable than anything else.

"My mother said this would happen," the girl sobbed. "I just didn't know what to do after they kicked me out and disowned me. Oh, kami, what am I going to do?"

"It'll be fine, dear," his mother soothed, though she didn't move to give the girl any physical comfort. "Is the baby Shunsui's or not? And it will be more trouble if you lie now."

"I swear it is, I don't know what to do," the girl got out between gasps.

"We'll go to the 4th," Nanao put in logically, trying to hold her own doubts at bay. "We'll check the paternity and that will settle that."

"Yes, let's do that," Shunsui said instantly, and his apparent belief that the test would prove him correct steadied her own inner turmoil.

They had to wait a bit for the crying woman to compose herself, but soon enough they were all headed out. Nanao hated doing it during office hours, but the Kyouraku family was a strong believer in instant gratification, and besides Nanao wanted the answer too. Walking past the secretaries watchful eyes and eavesdropping ears was difficult though, and Nanao nearly jumped when Shunsui reached for her hand. In any other situation, she'd have batted him away, but right now she let him do it. As the girl only had low level reiatsu, shunpo was out of the question, and the walk to the 4th was long and awkwardly silent. Shunsui kept glancing over at her, and Nanao just avoided his looks. She honestly didn't know how to react, and right now it was the best she could do to keep her imagination from running away from her. He held on to her hand tighter as if he was afraid she would flee.

They walked into the 4th like a funeral procession, and Shunsui's mother immediately demanded the lower ranked members go and find their Taicho. The woman was nothing if not confident in her own power.

After a few short minutes Unohana met them looking unperturbed. "Kyouraku-sama," she greeted politely. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"We need a paternity test on the girl," she said, pointing a finger at Kiyoko.

Nanao saw some of the squad members around them look on with interest, and she wanted nothing more than to sink into the floor and disappear. With this added to what the secretaries had overheard it was going to be all over the Seireitei in less than an hour.

"This way, please," Unohana said calmly. They all followed her into one of the exam rooms. "How far along are you dear?"

"About two months," the girl answered, fidgeting under everyone's gaze. Nanao wondered how old she was and then remembered that she had stayed with the Kyouraku's before Shunsui had gone to academy. She must be nearer to her Taicho's age than her own, but the woman sure didn't hold herself like it.

"The baby should be developing reiatsu around now if it is going to have any. Of course it will feel different than mature reiatsu and still be relatively faint, but this early on in the pregnancy that's the only test we can do. If there's no reiatsu, you'll have to wait a few months at the least, and even then I would suggest against it. All the paternity blood tests that can be done in utero are very risky for the baby. If there is no reiatsu it'd be best to wait until the child is born," Retsu explained for everyone's benefit.

"Just do it, please," Shunsui put in.

Unohana didn't say anything, but placed a gentle hand on the woman's abdomen and held it there. Nanao felt the delicate powers of kido rise and play around the Taicho's hand and then fall away again. Healing kido had always fascinated her despite her slightly greater talent for fighting kido. It was so precise, and was often fragile to the point of absurdity. Most people with even the lowest reiatsu levels could blow something up with kido if they really tried, but very few could perform even the most basic of healing spells. Tearing things apart was always so much easier than putting them back together. Healing kido at its best was more of an art form. The power lapped up once more along the Taicho's fingertips and died out again.

Unohana stood there for a moment longer, and Nanao couldn't stop her impatience. "Well?"

"Are you already done?" his mother asked, having obviously missed the delicate bloom of power.

"At this very early stage, it does seem to have all the marks of a Kyouraku family reiatsu signature," Unohana said quietly, but firmly.

"That can't be," Shunsui said shaking his head. "Do it again."

"She already did it twice," Nanao said, slipping her hand free of his. "She did it again to be sure."

"It's still wrong," he argued. "You said it was early, how can you be one hundred percent sure?"

"I can't be," Unohana admitted kindly. "The test is only about 60% accurate at this stage. As the reiatsu strengthens, I can be more confident, but frankly it bears all the marks of the Kyouraku family, and I have been exposed to your reiatsu on more than one occasion. I don't believe I am mistaking the signs."

"Except that you have to be," Shunsui said, starting to pace. "I didn't sleep with her. Run the test again or run a different test."

Nanao suddenly felt like she couldn't breathe. Well, that and like she was going to throw up. Everything had been so perfect, and now it was so completely imperfect she didn't even know how to feel. She backed away from the scene involuntarily and felt the doorframe dig into her shoulder. Shunsui and his mother's voices rose higher, and the blonde woman started to cry again. Nanao abruptly knew she couldn't be there any longer. She felt like she was going to shatter if she remained.

She slipped out the door, and the 4th squad members lingering and listening in the hallway instantly got busy as they saw her exit. She took quick steady steps towards the door and tried to flip her brain back on. Currently she was operating on pure instinct, and she knew soon enough she was going to have to make a plan, think about what had happened, and sort out her life, but right now she just couldn't.

Nanao shoved the doors open hard and immediately ran into something solid. The person gave an oomph, and she muttered an apology as she tried to skirt around them. A hand came up and latched on to her arm, and she turned back miserably thinking it was Shunsui having caught up with her. She wasn't sure whether she should stay silent, scream, or throw up.

"Nanao-san? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," Jyuushiro said lightly, though he kept a strong supporting hand on her arm.

"Ukitake Taicho," she said in a strained voice. "How are you?"

"I'm fine, Nanao-san, what is going on?" he asked frowning.

"Nothing, everything is fine," she said trying to pull her arm away. All she wanted to do was get somewhere quiet and solitary and sort things out.

"That's very obviously not true," he said seriously. "I'm not letting go. Tell me what's going on."

"Shunsui's going to be a daddy," she blurted out.

His eyes widened and then a smile cracked his face. "Well, that's great!"

"I'm not pregnant," she stated calmly, though she felt everything inside her crumble at having admitted it out loud. It was all over. All of it. Every fear she'd ever had about being in a relationship with the man had just come true. And why that woman? The almost perfect physical opposite of herself. What had she done to lose him? She hadn't noticed anything different. What the hell was going on?

"Nanao? What?" Jyuushiro asked, obviously confused and trying to follow what she was saying. "How?"

"The normal way, I'd assume," she said bitterly, pulling her arm from his now limp grasp and hugging herself. "He met a pretty girl, screwed her, and now here we all are."

"There must be a mistake," Jyuushiro said firmly.

"Please, tell that to Unohana Taicho who just confirmed it," she said. "I believe that's what Kyouraku is still trying to do."

"Retsu-san said it was?" Jyuushiro asked quietly. They both stopped talking as they became aware of Shunsui's reiatsu moving quickly towards the 4th's doors.

"Looks like he noticed I left," Nanao said with a hysterical little sobbing hiccup that she couldn't control.

"Do you want to talk to him?" Jyuushiro asked quickly.

"I really don't have a choice," she said with a pained smile and burning eyes. "It's not like I can out run him."

"Do you want to talk to him now or not?" Jyuushiro asked again.

Shunsui was almost at the 4th's doors, and he must not have been using shunpo having felt Nanao paused in one location. "No," she said wretchedly. "I don't even want to see him right now."

As quick as the words had left her mouth Jyuushiro scooped her up and started flash stepping away. "Then you shouldn't have to," he said quietly as they moved.

Nanao wrapped her arms around his neck to help hold herself up, and then burst into the tears she'd been fighting since Unohana had said the baby was his.

* * *

**A/N: … Please don't hurt me. At least I updated fast right? As always please review, even though I'm a little frightened of them this time.**


	9. Hollows

His friend had done some dumb shit throughout his long life. Jyuushiro had been there for most of it, but this one was a doozy. He'd brought Nanao to his home for lack of a better idea. She hadn't cried long and had mostly been done crying altogether by the time he reached his front door. It didn't help to make her look any less miserable though. He still wasn't altogether sure he believed the story, but Nanao obviously did, and right now that was all that mattered.

She'd asked to use his bathroom to clean up, and he'd complied willingly enough. Frankly, he was at a loss for what to say to her. Then he'd headed out to his own front porch to wait for his oldest friend. He knew Shunsui had probably already figured out her method of fleeing and where he'd taken her to, so it was only a matter of time until the pink clad man arrived.

"Jyuu," Shunsui said quietly as he stopped a few feet in front of him moments later.

"What the hell is going on, Shun?" he asked equally as serious.

"Obviously you already know if you picked her up and ran from me," his friend replied.

"I want to hear it from you," Jyuushiro said calmly.

"There is a woman claiming she had sex with me and is pregnant," Shunsui said angrily.

"Claiming? So you didn't?"

"I wouldn't!"

"Then why is Retsu-san saying its yours?" Jyuushiro asked logically.

"She said it was a Kyouraku, she never said it was mine," Shunsui said, shaking his head. "So its someone else's, or the girl put some sort of paternity defying kido on it, if that's even possible."

"You really think Retsu-san wouldn't see through a spell like that?"

"Then it's someone else's," Shunsui said fiercely.

"Because you didn't sleep with the girl," Jyuushiro supplied helpfully.

"Exactly," Shunsui agreed, and his eyes flickered to the doorway of the house. Jyuushiro had felt Nanao coming to the door as well, but said nothing. She didn't come out and didn't open the door. "Nanao, come out and talk to me," Shunsui pleaded.

Silence was the only answer he got, and he looked at Jyuushiro for help. "There is no chance at all that the baby could be yours?" Jyuushiro asked one last time, prepared to believe Shunsui on his word alone. His friend shifted on his feet and paused a beat before saying no. "Shunsui," he said sharply. He'd known the man long enough to be able to tell when he was uncertain.

"I didn't sleep with her," Shunsui said more firmly. "I got really drunk at one of the parties one night, but I don't even remember her."

Jyuushiro cursed in his own head. Shunsui had been trapped there with a bunch of stuck up self-congratulatory nobles in a room full of host-funded alcohol, of course he'd gotten wasted. Jyuushiro couldn't even count how many times Shunsui'd done the same thing at noble parties and events throughout their long lives. Old habits die hard. "How drunk?"

"I don't know, Jyuu," he said tiredly. "Nanao, please come out."

"Blackout, perhaps?" Jyuushiro pressed further, although he almost didn't want the answer.

"Look, I just know the last I remember I was alone wanting to get the hell out of there," Shunsui said upset, "And then I woke up equally alone."

Jyuushiro cursed and saw his friend flinch. "Then you don't know for sure?"

"I wouldn't have," Shunsui defended. "Nanao, you know me. I wouldn't have! For kami sake, please come out and talk to me."

"Retsu-san is rarely wrong," Jyuushiro said quietly when the woman still didn't respond. "And the problem may be that she does in fact know you. The man that's spent her entire life without a relationship lasting more than a few months."

"Nanao is different, you know that. It's got to be Seichii's then," Shunsui argued.

"A bit out of character for him isn't it?" Jyuushiro asked, hoping with all his might that it was true, and that it had been Shunsui's prideful rule abiding brother who had suddenly decided to go out and get some after decades of unwavering loyalty to a wife who barely even tolerated him.

"I don't know what to do," Shunsui admitted, looking as miserable as Nanao had.

"I think right now, you need to leave," Jyuushiro said.

Shunsui's eyes snapped back up to him, and he could see the anger there. The two friends rarely fought anymore, but even Shunsui couldn't always stay calm in regards to Nanao. "I need to talk to her," Shunsui stated firmly.

"In this particular situation, I think she has the right to chose whether or not she speaks to you," Jyuushiro said, really not wanting to deny his friend anything.

"Jyuushiro, I didn't do this, you can't think that I did," Shunsui argued.

"Look, Shunsui, you know I want to believe you," Jyuushiro said calmly. "You know more than anything I want that to be the truth, but right now it just isn't looking like it is. You don't even remember that night. How can you say for certain the child isn't yours? In either case, you have quite a bit to sort out, and perhaps it'd be better if you did that sooner rather than later."

"Are you willing to stop me from entering that house?" Shunsui asked coldly.

"Yes, old friend," he answered solidly.

"She's going to have to talk to me eventually," Shunsui replied.

"Yes, but not now," Jyuushiro stated. "Give her time."

Shunsui looked over Jyuushiro's shoulder towards the house again, and for a moment looked so desperate that Jyuushiro wanted to let him pass regardless of what he may have done. He'd seen the look before, and it never ceased to make him feel for the other man. Even when they hadn't been friends, that forlorn look had worked on him.

"I'll be back soon," Shunsui said, looking defeated.

"I would hope so," Jyuushiro replied. "Sort this out and put it to rights, Shun."

The man gave a quick nod, and one last lingering look at the house, and then shunpoed away. By the time Jyuushiro walked back through his door Nanao had disappeared again, and he felt her reiatsu in the back guestroom. Debating whether or not to go talk to her, his choice was made for him by the closed bedroom door. She'd come out and talk when she was ready, and he'd be there when she was.

Jyuushiro sighed as he entered his kitchen and started making tea if for no other reason than to give his hand something to do. The girl could be lying, but he doubted Retsu would have made such a grievous error, especially when she knew the cost. As a whole, Retsu was quite fond of Shunsui and Nanao's relationship, and he had a feeling she wouldn't have lightly announced that he may have impregnated someone else.

It could have been Shunsui's brother, but it was oddly out of character for him. The man didn't even visit prostitutes as far as Shunsui'd ever been able to tell. He adored and hated his wife in such a complicated mess of emotions that no one had ever been quite able to figure their relationship out. Seichii'd wanted her more than anything, and she'd settled for second best when she couldn't pin down Shunsui. It'd been a point of contention between the brothers for most of their lives. Seichii's wife was more liable to sleep around than he was. Beyond that, the girl had pointed to Shunsui. If she was just after the Kyouraku name, it'd make more sense to point at the actual man who'd done it. If it truly was Seichii she'd be bearing the first heir to inherit everything. It was common knowledge that Seichii's wife appeared to be barren. In order to have an heir, the Kyouraku's would have readily accepted the girl, and not given Seichii's wife much choice. Consorts weren't a big deal within noble lines as long as the baby was legitimate.

If it wasn't a mistake, and Jyuushiro had a growing unsettling feeling in his stomach that it wasn't, particularly after Shunsui's revelations, then Shunsui had screwed up irrevocably. Ignoring the fact that Nanao would probably never have him back, he was going to have to protect that woman and her child for a long time, especially if it was a boy. This was one problem the Kyouraku family couldn't throw money at and make go away.

As far as Jyuushiro was aware, there had only been a few other times as bad as this in Shunsui's personal life, and he'd been there for most of them. For one, Shunsui counted telling Lisa to go to that last fight his own error, though Jyuushiro wasn't of the same opinion, but one of his largest mistakes had been in their academy days. Shunsui'd gotten another boy killed, and it had changed their future forever.

They'd been on one of their first missions in the living world, and Kyouraku had been more interested in the women than the mission objectives. It was supposed to be routine, take out a few low level hollows and make the appropriate check points at the right times. Everyone, including himself, had groaned when they'd learned Kyouraku had not only been assigned to their team, but for once had actually shown up to class on time. Most people, who didn't have to live with the boy, liked Shunsui quite a bit. He was fun, wild, and rich. What more could they ask for in a friend? But nobody wanted him in the field with them, Jyuushiro included. He and his roommate had reached a sort of strange truce, but despite Kyouraku's power levels, he had always been too lazy to do anything worthwhile with them.

All in all, the mission had been a boring one. There were a couple low level hollows that had been easily dispatched and they'd been on their way to their last checkpoint and then home. Kyouraku had been particularly loud and eager to return as he'd been telling everyone about the date he had with a hot easy Rukongai girl that night. Jyuushiro had at the time, simply rolled his eyes at his roommate, and assumed the newest girl was yet another attempt in a long line of them to piss his family off.

Everything had been fine until a mid-level hollow had come barreling out of the forest with no warning. The hollows tail had whipped around and caught their mission leader hard across the body slamming him into a boulder and knocking the man unconscious almost instantly. Then the hollow had turned on their small group and gave its own defiant roar, not bothering to make small talk and charging instead.

Jyuushiro had been in the process of moving forward, knowing for a fact that most of the members of their team were not ready for this power level yet. He'd had to dodge quickly as spikes launched from the Hollow suddenly, slamming through one of his teammate's throats and killing him instantly. Jyuushiro hadn't had time to stop and help and had instead continued his forward lunge cutting the hollows left front leg off at the elbow. The creature had stumbled, suddenly unsteady and had turned all its rage on him as it caught its balance on its remaining legs. He'd stood his ground, knowing he couldn't get out of the way in time as the hollow's massive jaws opened and came towards him. It had probably been a lost cause, as the hollows open maw was twice the size of him and the dagger-like teeth would have shorn him in two before he'd been able to launch a counter strike, though he'd had a kido spell building, but just as suddenly the hollow had lurched sideways and away from him as a hard impact rocked its body and pinned it to the ground.

Jyuushiro had glanced around and seen the other shinigami equally as downed, and it had taken him a few seconds to realize what had happened. For lack of time or a better plan, Kyouraku had simply released his reiatsu full force and brutally forced the hollow down under his spiritual pressure. As much as it had been effective, Jyuushiro had instantly assessed the problem. He'd killed the hollow quickly and then in two quick shunpo steps he'd bolted to the unconscious leader and grabbed his communication piece.

"Ukitake to base, squad A-9 needs immediate backup, high level hollows on the way, possible Gillian contact," he'd said urgently and prayed it'd gone through as all he'd heard was fuzz on the other side. The communication device must have taken a good hit too when its owner had slammed into the rock.

Kyouraku had resealed his spiritual pressure, but it was already by far too late as their comrades helped each other regain their feet. "Help me get him up," Jyuushiro had demanded, struggling under the unconscious team leader's weight. Kyouraku had come forward, being the only one not still weak in the knees, and gotten under the man's other arm.

"A thank you would be nice," the noble had said sarcastically.

"A thank you for what?" Jyuushiro had hissed. "Hurry, we need to make the gate now!"

"For saving your life," Kyouraku had clarified exasperated.

"Saving my life?" Jyuushiro had yelled back, starting the whole group forward and motioning the rest of the group not hampered by a body to move ahead. "You just announced our presence to every high level hollow within at least a 15 mile radius. If we don't make this gate, you've killed us all."

"Calm down," Kyouraku had said, shrugging under the man's weight. "The gate is like a two minute walk away."

"Why the hell did you think_ that _was the most effective way to fight? Could you not have done some kido?" Jyuushiro had demanded, irate beyond all belief. The idiot was so damn lazy he couldn't even fight properly. "Brute force doesn't fix everything!"

"It worked didn't it?" Kyouraku had asked, starting to get pissed off too. "If I hadn't done that, you'd be in two pieces right now."

"You could have fired off a binding spell or something and had the same effect without the added danger," Jyuushiro had said coldly.

"I missed that day in class," the man had replied, looking completely unconcerned. "The only binding spell I knew would have taken too long to say, and my shunpo would have had me there a moment too late."

"So now everyone has to suffer for your inability to show up to class or learn anything when you do," Jyuushiro had growled. "Natural talent isn't going to get you by for the rest of your life. You shouldn't have come today if you weren't prepared."

"I have more power in my pinky than this entire group of men," Kyouraku had boasted.

"Yes, but at least they've worked hard for their power and know its value. At least they've learned the basics and know how to fight as a team," Jyuushiro had said letting his voice rise as he got angrier and angrier. "Not everything can be bought or half assed, Kyouraku! At least not here, not where your noble name means shit. The others are right. I don't know how I live with you. You're just a pathetic rich boy who thinks everyone should bow at his feet because he was born with power, regardless of the fact that he hasn't earned anything in his entire life! Your family is right to treat you the way they do. You refuse to think anything is worthwhile, and all it serves to do is make you useless. You aren't a rebel, you aren't a cool disaffected youth. You're just a pathetic, lazy hopeless waste of space. So do us all a favor, and get out of the academy so the rest of us can actually accomplish something without fearing for our lives whenever you're scheduled to be at our backs. At least your family has to tolerate you because you're blood."

"What the hell do you know?" Kyouraku had yelled back, dropping the man's dead weight and letting Jyuushiro stumble underneath it and try to recover. "You think because you're learning to fight hollows your life will mean something? All you're doing is being a pawn for the noble's games. The only reason the academy is allowed to exist is because it gives the royal family and the nobles behind it a strong fighting force and a protective shield. They're using you all as hollow fodder so as not to have to do it themselves. All that loyalty and honor crap they feed you is propaganda to make you feel like you did something worthwhile when you find yourself lying in a field, screaming in pain, as a hollow rips you in two, and your friends are dying all around you."

"I could give two shits less about the royals," Jyuushiro had said regaining some of his calm and continuing to drag the man's dead weight forward. "The worlds have to be in balance, and besides that, talk to any insignificant soul who's been saved by a shinigami from a hollow and see how little it mattered to them. Let the nobles think what they want, I know why I'm here, and it's not to protect pompous self-righteous asses like yourself. It's to protect the people that would never be able to protect themselves. You'd know that if you'd ever bothered to show up to any of Yamamoto-sensei's lectures."

Their argument was interrupted as the team that had gotten far in front of them without their noticing came running back towards them. Jyuushiro had instantly put the unconscious man down and taken the defensive. "What's happening?"

"Menos Grande," the boy panted coming to a stop and pointing at the crack forming in the sky.

"Get to the gate," Jyuushiro had yelled and had resumed dragging the team leader. They weren't ready for menos grandes. For kami sake, this was one of their first independent field missions. They needed backup and they need to get through that gate.

Kyouraku had resumed his spot on the other side of the man and they had begun their steady march forward once more, but this time it had been in silence.

"It's not open!" a team member had yelled as they'd entered the clearing where the gate was supposed to be.

"We must be early," Jyuushiro had shouted back, trying to keep calm in his tone. "It will open, just give it a minute."

Unfortunately, they hadn't had a minute. Kyouraku's reiatsu hadn't just attracted the menos grande. As they'd stood in the middle of the open field, hollows had begun to encroach on all sides. Their team had fought valiantly, but all the energy served to do was to attract more. Ukitake had realized quickly that if they gate didn't open they were all going to die.

As it happened the gate had opened, reinforcements tumbling out. Yamamoto Sensei himself calmly striding out of the gate and taking stock of the situation. Hollows had quickly been dispatched and the menos grande taken care of. It was only as they were examining the area later that they'd found three shinigami dead. Jyuushiro had been doing one last outer sweep of the clearing when he'd found Kyouraku, who'd been separated from him during the battle, standing over the dead body of one of the boys from their team.

"What happened?"

"Hollow claw ripped him open," Kyourku had said, sounding oddly distant. "I couldn't get there in time."

"Help me get the body back," Jyuushiro had said with a sigh, moving forward.

Kyouraku hadn't moved, and then had asked quietly. "What was his name?"

"You really want to know?" Jyuushiro had asked, getting angry all over again. "Will it change anything? Will it help if you know that his name was Takahashi Omi, and that he had an adoptive mother and sister in the Rukongai's 12th district, and that the only reason he joined the Academy was to support them? Now, help me get him home, so his loved ones can at least grieve for him."

Kyouraku had been silent after that, but had put the boy over his own shoulders and carried him back by himself ignoring it as blood and fluid ran down his shoulders and back. Jyuushiro had walked a pace or two behind and mourned his fallen friend internally, while trying to keep his outward appearance calm and in control.

His roommate had been silent and kept to himself for most of the following week. It'd been a strange occurrence, and by the end of a few days Jyuushiro had begun to wonder if he needed to get medical attention for the boy. Kyouraku had taken to being out late at night, which while not unusual, had been a change as he'd always come home just as silent, sober, and alone as he'd left.

When the next week of classes had begun again, Jyuushiro had been surprised to see Kyouraku in class, awake, and paying attention. He'd wondered viciously how long that would last. By the following week, he'd begun to wonder if Kyouraku would ever speak again.

He'd known his roommate had gotten a lecture from Yamamoto in private and that his family had come, but he'd doubted that was what had had an impact. It never had before. Jyuushiro had been stunned to spot Kyouraku in a training room when he'd left the library late one night. He hadn't stopped and Kyouraku hadn't noticed him, but he'd wondered briefly if that's where he'd been all those nights.

By the fourth week of the silence, one of their classes had been ordered to form up partners for the rest of the semester to practice offensive and defensive swordplay. As usual, the class had deteriorated into a jumbled mess as friends tried to locate other friends and pair up. Several people had approached Jyuushiro, and he'd silently cursed himself as he'd watched his roommate question several classmates and get turned away. Nobody would have wanted to work with Kyouraku in the past on school work, and now that rumors were flying everywhere about the failed mission, no one would touch him with a ten foot pole in the academic realm. He'd sighed and hated himself for the good will his mother had trained into him since childhood.

"Sorry, Kiko-san, perhaps another class," he'd said to the girl smiling hopefully up at him. He'd strode over to the spot where Kyouraku stood looking out of place. "Do you need a partner?"

The boy's eyes had flickered to meet his for the first time since that day, and even Jyuushiro had been affected by what he'd seen there. A sort of sad resigned desperation that had sealed both of their fates. "You don't want to be my partner," Kyouraku had stated matter-of-factly.

"No, I don't," Jyuushiro had replied honestly. "But no one else will."

"Why be kind to me at all? You hate me," Kyouraku had said.

"Are you going to go back to screwing up all the time and leave me with all the work?" Jyuushiro had asked brutally.

"No," was all that he'd said.

"Then this is the only chance you're going to get to be something other than a total waste," Jyuushiro had said with a shrug. "If I'm going to be put in the field with you because your family can buy your way out of every screw up, then I might as well feel like you have my back."

He'd seen fury flash through his roommate's eyes and he'd been glad to know it was still possible to eek another emotion out of him. "This isn't about my family," Kyouraku had said darkly.

"Good, maybe it's time you started making something about yourself and not what you think will piss them off," Jyuushiro had replied equally as coldly.

"I learn fast," Kyouraku had stated almost as a challenge.

"I can keep up," he'd replied. "It'd be nice to finally see what you're capable of."

Kyouraku had been telling the truth, when he actually put his mind to something he grasped it with ease. Once Kyouraku had caught up on the basics, they'd challenged and pushed each other to new levels faster than anyone, including themselves, had expected. It hadn't been long before Yamamoto had started giving them private sessions and they'd grown in leaps and bounds. Friendship had developed slowly from the mutual respect that had taken root and began to grow, and Jyuushiro had often thanked whatever karma had forced him to lend a hand to Kyouraku that day.

Kyouraku had, of course, gained more and more of his ridiculous personality back as the days went on, but he hadn't been able to hide the deeper layer beneath it all from Jyuushiro ever again. Beyond that, despite his antics and his occasional half assing of a homework assignment or two, Kyouraku was serious about the academy now. Jyuushiro was half convinced he acted the way he did just to convince everyone else that he still didn't care, and any backhanded praise from his family only served to make him pull some sort of prank that would land him in discipline before you could blink. So everything had returned to normal as far as most people were concerned except that now Kyouraku's grades told a vastly different story.

Jyuushiro had found out years later that Shunsui had tracked Takahasi Omi's adoptive family down in the weeks following the attack. He'd supported them financially for years afterward. The mother had died a few decades ago, but Shunsui still visited the sister on occasion, who now used his generous donations to run a sort of orphanage in the 9th district. It was a pity that a man with such a good heart was so prone to screwing up.

He'd finished making tea while he reminisced, and he suddenly became aware of Nanao standing in the kitchen doorway. "Would you like some, Nanao-san?" he asked, purposefully ignoring her red-rimmed eyes and disheveled hair.

"That'd be nice," she said quietly as she took a seat at the table.

"You heard Shunsui, I presume," he said as he poured the tea.

"As usual, being drunk should be an excuse for all misdeeds," the woman said, and though it was meant to come out as harsh, it sounded more pained than anything else.

"There could still be a mistake," Jyuushiro said calmly.

"Yes," she said sarcastically. "Perhaps the girl drugged his drink and took advantage of him, or maybe she tied him to a chair and forced him to drink so much he blacked out."

"It could have been Seichii," Jyuushiro offered.

Nanao snorted and shook her head. "Of course, maybe it was the brother who didn't drink himself into a stupor. The brother who's been married for decades to a total shrew and yet has never shown the slightest inclination to cheat. It would completely make sense that rule abiding, noble loving, Seichii went out and did this, especially when the girl expressly said it was Shunsui."

"He loves you," Jyuushiro said wearily, knowing he had no response to her criticism.

"Yes, he does," Nanao replied, taking the proffered teacup. "Too bad it wasn't enough."

Jyuushiro sighed, but knew nothing good was going to come of this conversation. "How's your brother doing?"

"Quite well," she said, relaxing a bit as she noticed the obvious subject change. "I heard one of your sisters is expecting?"

"Ah, yes, her third," Jyuushiro said sipping his tea. The rest of the afternoon was spent in mild talk about innocuous subjects and ended with him challenging her to a game of Go. He knew that all he could offer her right now was the chance to keep her mind on other things. Hopefully Shunsui would sort all of this mess out and things could go back to normal in the next few days.

* * *

**A/N: Argh, I'm sorry! I wanted to get this up way earlier this week, but I'm going on vacation next week which means my work load has doubled to make up for it :( Anyway I'm glad no one tried to verbally kill me via reviews. You all have so much faith in Shunsui-kun :) Please review again, I love hearing the little ding of my inbox!**


	10. Not Enough

Nanao was happy when Jyuushiro allowed her to excuse herself to the guestroom to read. She wasn't actually doing much reading, but she just couldn't stand his kindness anymore. She'd listened to Shunsui at the door when he'd come by earlier, and there was little to no doubt in her head now that everything had been destroyed.

Regardless of whether or not he'd been drunk, she certainly wasn't the type of woman to simply brush that off and keep going. Beyond that, knowing his family history added an extra burden to the situation. He was going to be responsible now to not only be that child's father, but also it's protector, especially if it was a boy. No matter what way she imagined it there was simply no place in the picture for her.

A tentative knock came at the door, and she had one blinding moment of sheer panic when she thought it must be Shunsui and she was going to have to deal with it all right this instant.

"Nanao?" came a soft female voice through the door.

"Rangiku," she said with relief. "The door is open."

Her friend scuttled in quickly and slid the door shut behind her. "Hi, honey," the blonde cooed kindly. "How are you holding up?"

"It got around that fast?" Nanao asked tired, but not really surprised.

"Well there was an awful lot of yelling in the 4th from what I heard," Rangiku said with a shrug, "Plus your secretaries overheard a good chunk."

"And now you've come to make sure I'm not wailing in agony and tearing out my hair?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Something like that," Rangiku replied. "I also brought you some clothes from your apartment and left out enough food and water for Boo for the weekend."

"Thank you, and as you can see, I'm fine," Nanao said calmly. "It's not like I didn't know what he is. It had to happen sooner or later. At least it happened now before I moved everything into his house or sold my apartment. What a mess that would have been."

"Right, of course," Rangiku said rolling her eyes. "It's not like you'd be heartbroken by this at all. Just glad not to be inconvenienced."

"What am I supposed to do, Ran?" Nanao asked harshly, trying to control her urge to cry all over again. It'd been shameful enough sobbing in front of Jyuushiro. The man must think she was a giant baby. "Crying and arguing isn't going to change the situation. There's nothing left to do."

"Pretending it doesn't hurt isn't going to change anything either," Rangiku said firmly.

"I don't want to cry over him," she said fiercely. "I don't want to care."

"I know the feeling," Rangiku said quietly. "But it doesn't change that you will and you do." She moved to hug her, and Nanao shrank back knowing that the comforting touch would break the last of her control.

"It wouldn't have worked anyway. We're too different," she argued.

"It would have worked. He's just an asshole," Rangiku said angrily, deciding that if her friend wouldn't be emotional she sure as hell would for the both of them. "He should know his limit well enough by now, and you'd think he'd get tired of screwing around one day. You're better off without him, and even though it doesn't feel like it right now, you are going to find someone better, and he's going to be stuck with that pathetic noble woman for the rest of his life. They'll probably have to attend tea ceremonies, and take up bonsai pruning, and do all sorts of horrendously dull things forever."

"Not really helping," Nanao said.

"I hope their kid comes out with a wonky eye and a tail," Rangiku added firmly.

Nanao sighed. "Did you see her? The kid is going to be gorgeous and probably talented too, just to rub my face in it."

"Well, then I'll give it to Kurotsuchi and let him experiment on it," Rangiku said.

"It's not the kid's fault," Nanao defended.

"Fine, let's just give Kurostuchi Kyouraku then," Rangiku suggested. "We'll see how attractive he is after all that probing."

Nanao couldn't help the laugh that escaped her.

"After that we can steal all his pink haoris and set them on fire," Rangiku added looking thoughtful, "And I bet we could water down all his sake stashes, although it'd be a waste of good alcohol. Maybe me and the boys could just drink them."

"You're ridiculous," Nanao said with a weak smile. She didn't dodge this time when Rangiku pulled her into a hug, and her friend didn't comment when the tears began to flow again.

"I really thought it was all going to be happy forever," Nanao sniffed lightly between sobs.

"You and everybody else," Rangiku replied, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"I was wiser when I was a child," Nanao said, rubbing at a tear streak on her face, but remaining in Matsumoto's embrace. "Fairy tales don't exist."

"It's hard not to believe in them when you are around Kyouraku Shunsui for long enough," Rangiku comforted. "We'll get through this."

"The worst part is, I don't even hate him," Nanao said, struggling to get her tears under control. "Not even a little bit. I'm mad at him, and I don't want him near me. I don't want to see him, or touch him, or even think about him, but I still love him as much as ever."

"It'll fade," Rangiku said softly. "Just like hate, love will fade with time if you let it."

"That worked for you?" she asked, pulling away from the woman and studying her face for its honesty.

"With time," Rangiku answered with a small nod. "I don't think I'll ever totally not love him, but I have the capability now of loving someone else. It's not true what they say. Just loving someone isn't enough. You've got to have all the other pieces to sustain it."

"Is it ok if I kind of hope the kid has a wonky eye too?" Nanao asked, still sniffling.

Rangiku laughed out loud at that and said, "Yes, I think so. Come on. Let's get your face washed, and then you can make dinner for me and Jyuushiro-san."

"Why am I making dinner? Shouldn't that be the other way around?" Nanao demanded.

"What? Being emotionally distraught makes your hands and brain not function? I'll poison us if I try, and you should thank Ukitake for being your knight in shining armor. I heard it really was quite dreamy the way he whisked you away from all danger. I hope you don't mind that I may have twisted the rumor a bit so that most people now believe he whisked you away with his shirt off. I figured that would be even better."

Nanao rolled her eyes, but dragged herself to her feet, figuring it'd at least distract her to make dinner in the company of friends. She was pretty sure that'd been Matsumoto's point all along, as the woman was nowhere near as bad a cook as Shunsui, and there it was again, always thinking about him no matter how hard she tried not to. She sighed and headed towards the bathroom. She'd make dinner and then take life one step at a time. She fully planned on crying herself to sleep tonight when she was alone, and then she'd do what she always did and put herself back together again. She'd been stupid to believe in him anyway. Nanao knew his character better than anyone. How could she ever have believed she'd be enough for him?

Dinner was a stilted affair, as everyone tried to think of things to talk about that had nothing to do with the current situation or the man at the center of it. Nanao even borrowed her Taicho's, and it was much easier to think of him as that than anything else, method of dealing and had a few glasses of the offered sake. Just enough to get her pleasantly buzzed and thinking about how nice a long bath and bed would be.

She was seeing Rangiku to the door when he stepped out of the shadows. She had kido burning in her hand before she'd taken stock of who it was.

"Whoa, Nao-chan," her brother said, holding up his hands. "I'd rather not have scorch marks on me tonight."

"What are you doing here?" she asked surprised, as she let the kido go out.

"Thought I'd stop by and see how my baby sister is doing," he said with a shrug. "Is that a crime?"

"You thought you'd stop by Jyuushiro-san's house on a random Friday night just to say hi?" she asked sardonically. "How'd you know? Do you have spies tracking me?"

"Who needs spies when it's the only thing anyone is talking about in the bars tonight?" he asked seriously.

Nanao sighed and leaned against the doorframe. "Great," she said sarcastically.

"I'll stop by tomorrow," Rangiku said. "It can't be that bad."

"No, it really is," Mamoru said calmly.

"You're supposed to lie and be comforting," Rangiku argued with him.

"So it's worse when she finds out the truth?" Mamoru asked lifting any eyebrow. "Come on, it's Kyouraku Shunsui, every gritty made-up detail is going to be all over the Seireitei and half of the Rukongai by daybreak. It was half the reason he was a danger to her when our father was still alive. Nothing about that man is private."

"Both of you are too hard on yourselves," Rangiku argued.

"Facing the truth is the best way to survive," Mamoru said with a shrug.

"I'll stop by tomorrow," she repeated, giving Nanao another hug. "You," she said turning on Mamoru, "Play nice."

"Goodnight," Nanao called after her, holding the door open for her brother. "So are you worried I'm going to try to off myself or something?"

"If I thought you were that pathetic I'd have disowned you a long time ago," Mamoru joked as he followed her through the house and out back into Ukitake's garden. Ukitake had excused himself to his study when Matsumoto was leaving and didn't interrupt them now.

"So you're just here to say 'I told you so' then?" she asked, stopping by the koi pond.

"I think I'll save that until it's a little less raw, baby sister," he replied stopping near her. "Want me to kick his ass?"

Nanao snorted. "No thanks, I like you alive."

"You saying I couldn't?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," she said with a fond smile.

"The man's two favorite activities are drinking and sleeping," Mamoru said with grin. "I don't think I'll have too much trouble sneaking up on him and taking a cheap shot."

"Well, in that case, please don't," she said with a small smile. "You'll get arrested for attacking and killing a Taicho of the Gotei 13, and then I'll have to break you out, and then we'll both be fugitives, and that's really the last thing I need right now."

Her brother chuckled and agreed before they both fell into a comfortable silence for a few minutes. "It wasn't your fault, you know."

"I know that," she said sharply.

"It wasn't a comment on you," he continued. "He's a screw up and a man whore. You're better off without him."

"Doesn't feel that way right now," she said quietly.

"It will given time," he said.

"Doesn't feel like that," she repeated.

"He's going to be miserable, and you are going to go out and find something way better," Mamoru said firmly.

"Everyone keeps saying that, but we were happy," she said shaking her head. "Kami, Mamoru, I finally felt like I'd found the right thing, like everything was going to work out. I was going to move in with him, and marry him someday, and _we_ were supposed to have kids. Not some blonde waif of a thing. I keep kicking myself thinking why didn't I move faster? Why didn't I just say yes to everything while I could? But then I think about it again, and I thank kami that I didn't because then this woman would have shown up, and I'd have had to divorce him and take our kid and move out, and it would have been an even bigger hell."

"Whoa, Nao-chan," he said grabbing her hand. "Maybe we should stick with the crappy situation that actually exists instead of the worse one that doesn't. He's a waste of human life, and once it stops hurting so much you'll see it too."

"He's not a waste," Nanao said shaking her head. "He just can't keep it in his pants."

"I'm telling you," he replied. "You'll fall out of love with him, and things will be good again."

"It doesn't feel like that," she repeated again miserably.

"It wouldn't right now," he said with a squeeze to her hand. "But I promise it will. And when have I ever been wrong?"

He tugged on her hand and pulled her into an embrace. "I wish you'd been wrong about him," she muttered into his shoulder, only happy that she'd already gotten a lot of the tears out with Rangiku.

"Me too, baby sister," he said softly.

* * *

"The baby isn't mine," Shunsui argued again, sitting across the table from his mother, father and brother, the latter two having just returned from their travels late this evening.

"I find that hard to believe, especially given Unohana-san's diagnosis," his mother said tiredly. She'd put the girl in one of their guestrooms for the night with a few maids to attend to her. "Seichii, what do you remember?"

"I wasn't aware that I was there to be his babysitter," Seichii said with a shrug.

"Seichii," his mother said sharply. "You realize what's at stake here."

"Look, the last I saw he was wasted and stumbling up the stairs to his room. Hayashi-san was introduced to me briefly at the start of the evening, and I did not see her again," Seichii said tiredly. "The next I saw of either of them was the next day when Shunsui came down hung over and grumbling about something or another. I did not see the girl again until this very evening."

"At least she's a better choice than the Rukongai woman you've been seeing," his father said with a shrug. "Beyond the obviously salacious way it occurred, I don't see the problem. Shunsui will marry the Hayashi girl, she will have his child, and all will be set to right."

"It's not my child," he argued once again. "Even Retsu acknowledged she could be wrong this early on in the pregnancy."

"Then we'll wait a few months for final confirmation and go on with the plans," his father said with a shrug.

"I'm not going to marry her," Shunsui said shaking his head. "I'm going to marry Nanao."

"Shunsui-kun," his mother said softer now. "Nanao-san has been saying no to you for months now, beyond that I'd hardly think she'd say yes now. Kiyoko-san's family has disowned her for this. You need to step up and take responsibility."

"I didn't do this," he said, as much to convince himself as everyone else. "For all we know it could have been Seichii."

His brother snorted and lifted an eyebrow at him. "Is that really the best you can do? Blaming it on me? Rather pathetic, even for you Shun."

"You were bound to slip up eventually, Shunsui," his father said calmly. "We can all be thankful that it was at least with a woman of some noble background. If you turn her away, and her family doesn't accept her back, she'll be a sitting duck."

"It's not mine," he said again.

"You've put her life in danger, and all you can say is 'it wasn't me'?" his father asked with disgust in his tone. "Always the same from you." That said he stood up and left the room, obviously dismissing the conversation.

"Perhaps it's time to grow up little brother," Seichii said, following his father's example as he got to his feet. "If it's any consolation, you've probably done Ise-san a favor. She's a smart girl. She'll find someone more suitable to her needs."

"Shunsui," his mother tried to soothe as she saw the anger flit through her son's eyes.

"I'm not marrying Hayashi-san," he said seriously. "If this child does turn out to be mine by some freak accident, then I'll support her and protect her, but I'm not marrying her."

"Shunsui," she sighed. "What good will that do? You think Ise-san is the kind of woman that will suffer this indignity? Marry you and ignore the fact that another woman has your firstborn child? You and I both know that isn't the case. Meanwhile Hayashi-san will be shamed for the rest of her life for no reason, her child called a bastard."

"I don't remember anything," he growled frustrated. "I woke up alone."

"She said you told her to leave after," his mother said calmly. "Half the reason she took so long to admit to anyone she was pregnant was because she was convinced you wouldn't have her."

"Why would I tell her to leave?" he demanded, getting up and pacing. "I've never told anyone to leave, not right after at least."

"I really wouldn't know, Shunsui," his mother said tiredly. "Perhaps you started to feel guilty? You've never been in an actual long term relationship before."

"I wouldn't do that to Nanao," he defended.

"Apparently you did," she said harshly. "You need to let that poor girl go and grow up, Shunsui. I hate to say it, but thank kami she turned you down as much as she did. Imagine the mess we'd be in otherwise."

"I'm not giving up on Nanao," he said petulantly.

"Then you're being cruel," she said firmly. "You'll torture her unnecessarily."

"I love her," he said.

"More often then not," she said, getting up to leave the room. "Just loving someone isn't enough."

* * *

**A/N: More sad stuff :( The good news is I even got a chapter up while on vacation :) Till next time. Please review!**


	11. Cat Bites

"Nanao-san?" he greeted, and she heard the obvious question in his tone.

"Good morning, Jyuushiro-san," she said politely, pouring him a cup of tea unasked.

"You're up early," he said lightly.

"I always get up around this time for a work day," she said patiently. She'd spent the rest of the weekend hiding out in his home, and he'd been a more than gracious host.

"Then you're going in?" he asked curiously.

"Yes," she said. "Our private relationship never had any bearing on our work relationship. I don't see why it should start now."

"You know he won't see it that way," Jyuushiro commented looking out the window as the dawn began to grow lighter.

"I can't hide forever," she said with a shrug. "I can't pathetically cry myself to sleep every night." She was more than sure Jyuushiro had heard some of her private pity fests over the past couple days and saw no reason to pretend otherwise. "I made a choice, and it turned out badly. Now I have to fix it."

"Pretending to be unaffected isn't going to fix it," he said simply.

"It's a start," she replied stiffly. "It's all I can do. You and I both know he isn't going to be able to walk away from this mess regardless of what he wants to do. The child is the youngest of the youngest."

"If it's a boy, and if it's his," Jyuushiro added.

"Unohana-san said," Nanao started.

"Retsu-san admitted she could be wrong," he interrupted.

"But she rarely ever is," Nanao added.

"We can hope can't we?" he prompted.

"And have my heart broken all over again after I get my hopes up?" she asked with a sigh. "No thank you."

"If the child isn't his?" Jyuushiro asked, glancing back at her.

"Then I'll apologize and beg his forgiveness," Nanao said. "On hands and knees if necessary."

"That would be something to see," Jyuushiro said with a laugh.

Nanao just hummed her agreement and sipped her tea. "Thank you for letting me stay here," she said finally.

"You keep saying thank you, but it's unnecessary. You are welcome anytime," he said simply.

"If you need to take a side, you should take Shunsui's," she said softly.

"Nanao-san, I'm not taking anyone's side," he replied calmly.

"He's your oldest and best friend," she said. "It shouldn't even be a question. I won't be offended."

"You're my friend too," he said simply. "I'm not taking sides."

"I'm just saying, I'd understand."

"I'm not taking sides," he repeated in exasperation. "Do you want me to walk you in?"

"And protect me from the big bad hairy monster in my office?" she asked with a short bitter laugh. "No. He's probably still asleep anyway. I can't imagine he thinks I'm coming in given how I've hidden this entire weekend. I'll see him in the afternoon."

"He's come here everyday trying to see you," Jyuushiro pointed out. "Perhaps you should go over there and have this out before you go into work."

"He'll respect my need for professionalism in the office or I'll quit," she said firmly, having decided it the night before. "I can't work for him if he can't see the divide."

"Nanao-san," Jyuushiro said hesitantly and then continued. "Can you work for him either way? If it really has all gone horribly wrong, and I'm not agreeing that it has, then are you going to be able to deal with the woman dropping by? Or his mother coming with wedding plans? Shunsui isn't good at keeping business and personal apart and neither is his family."

"I know what he is and what his family is," she said sighing. "I have to at least try. I swore to the Soutaicho himself that the Gotei 13 came first, and I meant it. Why should I have my entire career destroyed just because I slept with the wrong man?"

"As you wish," he said. "I just don't know if Shunsui will comply."

"He'll have to," she said looking down at her tea. "He no longer has any choice in the matter. Now, I've got to go, or I'm going to be late."

"You're going to be a half hour early," Jyuushiro said, glancing at a clock.

"Which is right on time for me," she answered with a laugh. "You forget that I mostly do two people's work. Again, thank you for letting me stay here. It was nice to be surrounded by friends and family."

"Good luck," he said with a nod.

Nanao shunpoed to work and braced herself entering the office. Despite her brave face, she wasn't completely sure this was a good idea. It wasn't like she had another choice though.

"I heard he lied to her and had another entire family on the side," one of the secretaries hissed.

"Well I heard he was getting back at her because she was having an affair with Ukitake Taicho. They say he showed up shirtless to save her."

"That isn't what happened," another defended. "I heard he had a big orgy and got five of the women pregnant."

Nanao rolled her eyes and cleared her throat loudly as she entered the room. "Good morning," she said coldly.

She almost had to hold back a laugh as all of their eyes simultaneously grew wide. "Good morning, Ise-fukutaicho," they chorused looking like guilty children.

"Higa-san, I need those files on my desk by noon," she said crisply. "Mura-san, can you run over to the 11th and see what happened to those acquisition forms from last week. The rest of you, the appraiser will be here shortly and I want a last minute check of the facilities."

"Yes, Ise-fukutaicho," they said, promptly scattering. She headed for her office door satisfied that, at least around her, they'd pretend not to be gossiping.

She got through about an hour of work before she felt Kyouraku's reiatsu bolting towards the 8th. Sighing, she went about finishing the form she was on before he arrived. She'd assumed he'd come in earlier once he realized she was in the office, but hadn't planned on him coming in quite this soon. At the speed he was going he must be convinced she'd make a dash for it the second she felt him heading towards the 8th. She placed the form down in her done pile and held a hand down on the top of the stack as the office door flew open with a gust of air.

"Nanao," he said breathlessly. All of the returned secretaries leaned over their desks to gape at the scene, and Nanao grabbed the next paper off her to-do stack.

"You're in early, Kyouraku Taicho," she commented, before returning her eyes to the paper and focusing on keeping her hand from shaking and her breathing even. She hated romantic confrontations. It was half of the reason she'd avoided relationships for so long. They were always so, messy.

"Is this really what you're going to do?" he demanded.

"Close the door, sir," she said crisply. "There's a draft."

He at least had enough sense to get that hint and shut the door on the secretaries' faces before crossing the length of the room to stand in front of her desk. "Nanao, we need to talk."

"About the budget or the training schedule?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow at him. "The assessor should be here around 10."

"You know what about," he said, taking the forms away from her. "You've hidden from me all weekend."

"We aren't doing this here," she said determinedly. "Work relationships and private relationships are separate. I thought I made that clear from the start."

"You can't be serious," he said, looking surprised. She wondered slightly if it was normal to feel like hitting and kissing a person all in the same instance. "Nanao, they can't be separate."

She took a deep breath and then played her trump card. "Then I can't work here."

"You don't mean that," he challenged, narrowing his eyes.

"You know I do," she replied calmly. "I've thought about it a lot, and this is the only way I can do this. Here you're my Taicho, my superior, nothing else, because if you're anything else then I'm going to scream and cry and storm out."

"Nanao-chan," he said softly, reaching out to caress her face.

She jerked back hard and nearly knocked over her chair in her haste to stand up. The hurt that flashed across his face at her reaction almost made her bend to his wishes, but she steeled herself internally and stood back from him. "I _can't_," she stressed.

"We can't just ignore this forever," he replied, running a frustrated hand into his loosely bound hair.

"I'm aware," she said shakily, and hated the way his eyes analyzed her. She was sure he could see her every insecurity and hurt at the moment. "But I can't do it here. Not if you want me to stay."

"So what?" he asked sounding exhausted as he moved over and sunk down on the couch across the room. When she looked at him more closely, he looked as exhausted as he sounded. "We pretend nothing happened while we work and then you bolt to Jyuu's at the end of the work day and hide from me?"

"No," she said firmly. "We work like we always have, and tonight we have the conversation neither of us want to have."

"Nanao, I didn't," he started.

"Not here," she replied harshly. Everything inside of her was screaming at her to just let him have it, to lay it all out, and make him hurt as badly as she was hurting, but she knew she couldn't do it. If she did, there was nothing left, not even work. She wondered vaguely if that might not be better, a clean cut, and the thought made her soul wail. There would never be a clean cut from this man.

"Fine," he growled, standing back up. "Give me some of that stack."

"What?" she asked, thrown by the request.

"I'm not going to have you drag this work day out just because all the paperwork isn't done," he said, grabbing half of the papers at random.

"Then you might not want to take papers from the done pile, sir" she commented with a snort.

The morning passed as peacefully as it could considering the circumstances, the reviewer came and went, and they didn't speak again until Higa came in to drop off her files at noon.

"Higa-chan," Kyouraku said tiredly as she started towards the door again. "Would you mind terribly picking up some food for myself and Nanao in the mess hall?"

"Of course, Taicho," the little secretary said, glancing over at Nanao who continued on with her work. "And if I may sir, I'd prefer you call me Higa-san."

Kyouraku looked surprised for a moment and then more depressed than ever. "As you wish, Higa-san." The girl looked torn for a second and then scampered out of the room. "Looks like the secretaries are officially team Nanao," he tried to joke.

"Shocking, as I didn't," she started to growl and then cut herself off. This was exactly what he was trying to do, she counseled herself, he's trying to drag you in before you're ready. He'd known her since she was a child and could manipulate her easier than anyone she knew. "Perhaps they just grew tired of your lack of professionalism."

"What didn't you do?" he prodded, although he knew the answer.

"I didn't ask for lunch," she avoided. "Why did you ask Higa-san to do that?"

He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Because you weren't going to get lunch for fear of me corning you and claiming lunch hour wasn't part of work."

"Were you going to corner me?" she asked dryly.

"I agreed to play by your rules, Nanao-chan," he said lightly, "but had you offered me such an easy loophole, I would have, of course, taken it."

The rest of the day was spent mostly in silence, although it wasn't the usual comfortable silence she'd grown so accustomed to over the years. It was strained and awkward, and she'd nearly jumped when he'd come over to retrieve more paperwork. She'd stopped herself, but she was positive he'd noticed. The space between them was necessary though, as just as she'd been convinced in the past that if she let him touch her at work she'd become a warm mushy puddle in his hands, she was now equally sure that if she let him touch her today she would lose all semblance of distance and calm and break down into a crying mess demanding to know why.

Five o'clock rolled around much too soon, and she was suddenly second guessing her day of self imposed torture. All it had done was serve to make her jumpy, frazzled, and already emotionally worn out. He stood by the door impatiently as the clock hit five, and she took her time finishing the last form.

"Nanao," he warned.

"I'm coming, keep your shirt on," she muttered. It was a sign of how wrong everything was that he didn't even try to make a lewd joke of the comment. Putting away the last of her pens, she knew she couldn't stall any longer.

"Ready?" he asked as she glanced up at him.

"Not in the least," she said honestly.

"My place or yours?" he asked, and again there was no smirk or accompanying smarmy gesture.

"Mine," she said with a sigh. It might be a bad idea, as it'd be easier to flee than kick him out if he didn't feel like going, but frankly she wanted to be on her home turf, and after this awful conversation she just wanted to fall into bed and sleep.

"Shunpo?"

"Sure," she said with a shrug. They walked out of the office together, ignoring the gossip flying around them as division members shared meaningful looks. "This is almost worse than when we started dating," she observed.

"It's juicier," he said resignedly. "Everyone expected us to get together. No one expected, well, this."

"You cheating and getting someone else pregnant?" she supplied, and he turned to face her quickly. "No, I'm sure a lot of people expected that too." Then they were at the gate and she started shunpoing home, not caring that her last comment had been mean and perhaps a bit petty.

She slid her keys in the door as he touched down next to her, knowing he was only a step behind her because she'd made him angry and he hadn't tried to catch up or beat her there. Ignoring how stiffly he stood next to her, she slid the door open, and was greeted by a ball of fur slamming into her legs and winding around them.

Nanao had never been so grateful to see the cat in all her life. "Oh Boo, how's my little man?" she cooed, scooping him up and nuzzling her face into his fur. He gave her a little meow of answer and butted his head into her shoulder and neck in welcome.

"Shall we?" Kyouraku asked impatiently from next to the doorway she was currently blocking. She forgave the coldness in his tone, simply because she had been cruel too. Boo hissed in her arms at him, and she secretly gave him an extra neck rub as she let Kyouraku enter. He shut the door behind him, and she kissed Boo on the head before putting him back down.

"Tea?" she inquired.

"No, I don't want tea," he said sharply, and she gave him a glare before heading into her living room.

"I was just trying to be polite," she pointed out, sitting down primly on a chair as he flopped down across from her on the couch. Boo instantly bounced into her lap and sat up like a sentry in it, watching Kyouraku's every move. The cat must have sensed the atmosphere had changed in his favor, as even he was normally not this protective.

"I don't want you to be polite," Kyouraku said. "I want you to tell me what you're thinking."

"I think you're a drunken ass," she said calmly, and thanked kami that she'd had all weekend to decide what to say. "I think the girl is pregnant, and it's yours, and now you have to step up and take responsibility. I think you're going to have to marry her and that's the end of that. I think, beyond work, I can't see you anymore. Am I missing something?"

"It's my word against hers," Kyouraku said frustrated, as he stood up and started pacing in front of her.

She watched him, maintaining her outward calm. "No, it's her word and Unohana-san's diagnosis against your total lack of memory. You can doubt it, but I'm more inclined to go with the people that don't drink away their thought processes. It's not like I haven't recovered you in similar states over the years. I suppose we were always lucky in that I generally arrived before you could impregnate someone."

"I hate when you do this," he blurted, taking a step towards her only to be greeted by a hissing cat.

"When I do what?" she demanded, picking Boo up and standing too as she didn't like him looming over her.

"When you act like you don't give a shit and on the inside you're upset to hell and back," he said angrily.

"Is that what you want?" she demanded, and she was horrified to hear her own voice crack at the end of the sentence. "You want to see how angry and hurt I am? Is this what this is all about, getting some kind of reaction out of me? Is that why you slept with her then? I just wasn't emotional enough, wasn't doing the trick?"

"You know that's not true," he argued.

"What do you want?" she yelled, not caring if she was being irrational. "I don't have anything left to give. I told you, I gave everything I had taking a chance on you, and here we are. So what? Now you want my anger and my sadness too? I apologize for not handing them over. If you want them so badly why don't you ask Jyuushiro-san for a recap."

"Nanao-chan," he started.

"Don't!" she screamed, and despised that she was reacting like this. She'd had it all planned out, she was going to be cool, calm, and collected and then kick him to the curb. "Don't call me that," she growled more quietly. "Don't call me anything, but Ise-fukutaicho, as that's all I can be to you."

"Nanao."

"No," she said shaking her head and holding back tears. "Go home to your fiancé and child. There's nothing for you here."

"The baby isn't mine," he said looking defeated. "Why can't you believe me?"

"I did," she said. "Right up until a healer and the fact that you were blackout drunk told me differently."

"I should remember something like that," he said miserably.

"Just because you don't, doesn't change anything," she said, turning her face away. "Just because you didn't remember getting blackout and painting half of Zaraki Taicho's office pink a half a century ago, didn't change the fact that it was still pink the next morning."

"Nanao-chan," he tried again, and reached for her arm. All he got for his trouble was a vicious cat biting ferociously into his hand. He gave a yelp of pain and backed off a step.

"You should go to the 4th and have that checked," she said, regaining her calm numbly at the sight of his bleeding hand. "Cat bites can be nasty without proper treatment."

"I love you," he pleaded.

"It's not enough," she said. "Please, leave."

"I'm not going to marry her," he stated firmly.

"Well, that's a waste, as the poor girl's family has already disowned her, and I'm certainly not going to marry you," she spat.

"Nanao," he repeated, and moved towards her again despite the growling cat. He plucked Boo out of her arms, ignoring his claws and teeth, and plopped the cat on the floor. She stood her ground, daring him to do something stupid. "I love you." Then he kissed her, and she hated that all of her reacted the way it always had. She wanted to melt into him, to forget her problems, to get even closer. Kami, he felt safe. Instead she shoved him away as hard as she could.

"No more, Shunsui," she said tiredly. "I can't. You've got certain responsibilities and I don't make the list anymore." She desperately forced her tears back, knowing that if she gave in and let them fall she'd never get him to leave. He wasn't good with crying women and couldn't leave off until he got the tears to stop, so right now crying would be the biggest mistake she could make.

He shook his head, and she tried not to feel bad about his bleeding hand. Boo had curled around her legs and was snarling up at him. "I need you," he said finally.

"No you don't," she said with a harsh laugh. "You survived just fine before me, and you'll do it after me."

"So this is it then? You're dumping me no matter what I say?" he asked seriously.

"What could you possibly say?" she asked softly. "Actions speak louder than words."

"I didn't do it," he said.

"Well, when Unohana Taicho tells you that, you let me know," she said bitterly. "Now, please leave. I have work early tomorrow."

"I'll leave, but it doesn't mean I'm giving up," he said regaining some of his control.

"You're wasting your time," she said.

"I've heard that before," he said giving her a half smile.

"The situation was different," she replied. "That was just me and you. This isn't about just us anymore. There is no us."

"There will always be an us, Nanao," he said firmly. "Nothing you can do will change that."

"Perhaps not," she conceded. "But now you need to get out of my home."

"I'll see you again tomorrow," he said, making sure there was no question in his tone.

"Of course," she said stoically. "It's a work day."

"My dutiful Nanao-chan," he said softly.

"Not your anything," she defended.

She saw the hurt in his eyes and could only assume it was mirrored in her own. "Goodnight, Nanao-chan," he said with a sigh.

He turned and headed towards the door. She followed behind him and locked it. When she felt his reiatsu move sufficiently far away she allowed the tears of the past few days to return again. She wondered for the millionth time how she could go from being so happy to so miserable in the space of a few days.

"Come on, Boo," she said resignedly. "Someone earned themselves some catnip."

* * *

**A/N: Phew. Writing light fluff is so much easier for me. Anyhoo, hope you all liked it and show it by reviewing :) Pretty please?**

**Also just for all of you still questioning the lack of memory on his part. Blackout drunk means no memories, trust me on this one as I've done it and do not recommend it. Now two years later I still have no recollection of the evening although my friends tell me they had no clue I was that bad off as I'm apparently a highly functional blackout drunk, ha. Anyway I repeat it is not recommended and you feel like death warmed over the next day. So yay for my public service announcement :) On to working on the next chapter!**


	12. Boo Omake

His human was finally sleeping peacefully. She'd cried again later that evening, and all the purring and nuzzling in the world hadn't been able to make her stop.

It was the man in pink that'd made her sad. Just one more reason not to like the big hairy ape. It was bad enough that he stole all of his human's attention when he was around, but it was worse that he obviously didn't appreciate it.

Boo's human was sweet and gentle and moved like a cat, which was the highest compliment he could give. She was all graceful steps and clever petting hands. The man on the other hand tromped around everywhere like an earthquake and was too lazy to make a very good ear scratcher. Boo couldn't even count how many times he'd had to move at the last second to avoid being stomped on by the oaf.

He'd known the first second he'd seen the big lump that he was no good. Why his human insisted on keeping him around was completely lost on Boo. He especially hated when they took off their human clothes and started wrestling together. It always sounded like the idiot was hurting his human and he certainly wouldn't stand for that. Boo had gotten in quite a few good scratches before the man had learned to close the door on him when they did that. Even the door wouldn't have stopped him though, if his human hadn't always come out happy afterward. He didn't know what fun she saw in wrestling with the overgrown dog, but as long as she was happy Boo would tolerate it.

She wasn't happy anymore though. They'd both been yelling at each other tonight, and the big ape had thought he could touch her when she clearly hadn't wanted him to. Boo'd gotten a rather good bite in for that, and he had to say the man tasted awful. He hoped the wound festered and made the man's hand fall off. He deserved it for making his human cry.

He really should have known something was up when the big yellow furred onee-san had come over and fed him extra. The big ape was the only thing that kept his human from him for extended periods of time. He'd taken particular joy once in shredding the man's favorite piece of pink clothes when he was over after he'd taken his human away for a few days. He'd imagined the thing was still attached to the man in question.

The big ape had put something in his food after that which had left him woozy for days. His human had yelled at the man good for that one, but had unfortunately forgiven him. Boo had retaliated once he'd regained his senses and had quite enjoyed the look on the big ape's face when he stepped into his sandals only to discover Boo had peed all over them. His human had laughed so hard she'd had to sit down, and he'd gotten a big saucer of milk once the man left.

His human muttered again in her sleep and Boo watched over her until she quieted. She still smelled of the man with the long white fur who often accompanied the big baboon. The white furred man was actually rather pleasant and always hit just the right spot on his neck that set him purring. He also liked to bring treats and toys whenever he visited. Boo fully approved.

"Shunsui," his human muttered softly in her sleep. That's what she called the big ape. Well, that and idiot. Boo nuzzled closer into her side and she sighed.

He didn't remember much of his life before he'd adopted his human, but he knew it hadn't been nearly as nice. He still remembered being tortured by those human whelps and how his lovely graceful human had interceded. The big ape hadn't done anything useful and had distracted her from him the second he could. It served the man right that Boo ended up being the one she took home with her that night.

Ever since that first encounter, Boo had also been exceptionally fond of taking up whatever personal space the big ape was intent on. If he moved to put his arm around her shoulders on the couch, Boo stretched out above them. If he tried to take her hand, Boo demanded a good petting. If he tried to lay his big stupid head in her lap, Boo got there long before he did. It was quite fun to watch him get frustrated, and he quite liked hearing his human laugh.

She wasn't laughing anymore. If that big ape came around again, he was going to bite him in the crotch, and he was going to claw his way up the man's leg in order to do so. It might not taste very good, but you do crazy things for the humans you love.

* * *

**A/N: Just a tiny fluff piece because I felt like it. I do love me some Boo :)**


	13. Transfer

The rest of the week didn't improve much for Nanao. Between the gossip and Kyouraku's constant hovering presence, her nerves were beginning to fray from always being on edge. She'd quickly and resolutely shot down any attempt at personal conversation or interaction in the office, and Shunsui had carefully towed the line, probably mostly due to the fact that he believed if he pushed her she'd transfer. He was right in thinking that. It was more her dignity and pride than anything else that kept her at the 8th. Seeing him daily and suffering his sad longing looks and lonely sighs was like perpetually grinding salt into an open wound. He was doing it on purpose too. He knew exactly what generally made her bend to his wishes. She'd never been able to tolerate him being honestly unhappy for long.

"All finished," he said, placing another pile of paperwork on her desk. "Do you need help with the schedules?"

"Since when do you know anything about the schedules?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. He'd also been doing more paperwork than she'd ever seen him complete and staying late with her every night, although she was pretty sure half of that was to avoid his family and Kiyoko. Not that she doubted that he wanted to walk her home. She'd refused him every night, but that still didn't stop him from following a pace or two behind her to her front door. She'd yelled at him the first night, but he had argued that he was free to walk wherever he pleased, and if he just so happened to be meandering in the same general direction as her, well there was no crime in that.

"I'm willing to learn," he offered hopefully.

"I have it handled, sir," she said dismissively. "We have a meeting in a bit anyway. Do you want to walk to the 1st or shunpo?"

"Will you talk with me while we walk?" he asked.

"Not about anything that isn't work related," she said simply.

"Then we might as well shunpo closer to the actual meeting time," he said with a sigh.

"As you wish, Taicho," she answered benignly. He made a face at her form of address, but didn't press it further. She finished a few more papers uninterrupted and then quickly tidied her things, as she didn't plan on coming back to the office after the late meeting. Nanao gave final instructions to some squad members as she left, knowing they would knock off an hour early with her gone if she didn't. They'd still probably leave early, but they'd get the assigned tasks done to at least pretend that they didn't.

They arrived at the 1st with ten minutes to spare, which was a first. Over the years, she'd occasionally gotten Kyouraku to meetings on-time, perhaps once or twice she'd managed a minute or two early, but never with this much extra time.

"Shunsui, Nanao-san," Jyuushiro called raising an eyebrow as the two touched down next to him. "Rather early for the two of you?"

"Kyouraku Taicho has been particularly helpful in the office this week," she said simply.

Jyuushiro just nodded knowing that a joke wasn't appropriate in the situation, and there was nothing else to say that wouldn't bring up the reason Kyouraku had been so helpful. "Is it exciting to see everyone before we're all already lined up in the meeting?" Jyuushiro asked Kyouraku with a smile.

"Thrilling," Kyouraku said dryly. "I can't believe I've been missing it all these years."

Nanao watched the two and wondered if they'd had time to talk since Jyuushiro had offered her a safe haven. She had to assume they had, but figured it couldn't hurt to give them another opportunity. "I need to see Rangiku-san for a moment. If you two will excuse me?" she said. Both men nodded and she slipped away.

* * *

"She hates me, and she's still making sure I'm taken care of," Shunsui observed with a sigh, as the small woman crossed the courtyard to her friend.

"Didn't you tell her we'd spoken?" Jyuushiro asked, glancing over at the girl. "She seemed concerned that I would need to pick your side to maintain our friendship."

"She won't listen to anything that isn't directly work related, and there aren't sides," Shunsui said frustrated.

"Which is what I told her," Jyuushiro answered with a shrug. "But Shun, you forget how young she is, and the fact that you were her first real relationship. She hasn't had years to fine tune her breakup style. She's doing the best she can."

"We're not breaking up," Shunsui defended.

"You already are broken up," Jyuushiro said with a sigh.

"She just needs time."

"Time to what?" Jyuushiro asked, feeling sorry for his friend all over again. "The only way she'll come back to you, is if you can prove you didn't sleep with Kiyoko-san and that the baby isn't yours. You've had Retsu-san check everyday and the answer is always the same. The reiatsu is getting stronger and it's always Kyouraku."

"I don't feel anything for the woman," Shunsui defended.

"Which means nothing at this point," Jyuushiro put in.

"I can't just marry her because of one terrible blackout mistake," Shunsui said.

"Either way, Nanao won't marry you now," Jyuushiro added. "Have you talked to Kiyoko-san at all?"

"Not really," Shunsui said, watching Nanao smile at Rangiku in a way that she hadn't done for him all week. "She stays with my family, and I stay here avoiding her besides the daily trips to the 4th."

"You think she's lying still?" Jyuushiro asked.

Shunsui sighed and didn't answer for a moment. "No, I don't think she's lying. From the little I know of her and remember from when she stayed with us all those years ago she's a meek little thing. Raised by her family to be the perfect submissive woman with little to no personality of her own. I doubt she's even capable of lying, particularly on such a large scale. For kami sake, she wanted to find Nanao and apologize, as she didn't know I was seeing someone. I just can't understand how I would, even drunk. I wasn't unhappy in the slightest. Why would any of my brain think to do that?" he said, repeating out loud what he'd been asking himself all week.

"Instinct?" Jyuushiro offered. "You've never been a long term relationship kind of guy, and most of the long term ones you've had have been open relationships."

"Nanao's different. I didn't even think about going to someone else," he said honestly. "Kami, the only thing I wanted was more of her."

"So what are you going to do?" Jyuushiro asked, watching as Hisagi and Kira approached the two women and joined into the conversation.

"Be patient, I suppose," Shunsui said. "It worked to get her the first time. I just have to prove I'm not going to screw up again. I'll give up drinking and do every single piece of paperwork that crosses my desk if that's what it takes. I can protect Kiyoko and the child and support them, but I can't be a part of one more family I don't feel anything for."

Both men stopped talking for a second as Nanao's laugh rang out across the courtyard, and they watched as Rangiku scrambled to try to cover Nanao's ears.

"It's good to hear her laugh," Jyuushiro said quietly.

"I'm not giving up," Shunsui said.

"Good luck with that," Jyuushiro said, not at all unkindly. "Looks like we should head into the meeting."

* * *

"Would you get off," Nanao requested still smiling.

"I can't," Rangiku answered. "These two might keep telling lies about me."

"It's no lie," Hisagi replied grinning. "She told Hitsugaya-Taicho that her boobs were attacking her in her sleep."

"You know what," Rangiku demanded dropping her hands. "They're very heavy and if I sleep on my back they try to smother me! Besides we'd been drinking!"

Nanao laughed again. "How did I miss this moment?"

"You were probably busy being responsible," Rangiku said rolling her eyes.

"Come drinking with us more," Hisagi agreed. "Trust me, that's just one of many stories."

"Although the risk lies in that we'd get dirt on you too," Rangiku added, grinning like a cat.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Nanao said snootily as they started walking into the hall. "I'm a perfect lady when drunk."

"This, from the woman who told everyone to get naked the one and only time I've seen her drunk," Hisagi said smirking.

"I was just trying to be fair," she defended.

"It's settled then," Rangiku said clapping her hands.

"What is?" Kira asked before anyone else could.

"Nanao-chan is coming drinking with us tomorrow night," Rangiku explained gleefully.

"Rangiku," Nanao warned.

"Oh come on, we can all get naked if that would make you more comfortable," she said happily.

"I don't think," Nanao started.

"You should come," Hisagi cut her off. "Nothing better for the soul than drinking."

"Well, besides healthy ways of dealing with problems," Kira muttered.

"Oh, don't be such a spoil sport," Rangiku chastised bumping the morose boy with her shoulder.

"It's on me," Hisagi added.

"All of us?" Rangiku squealed.

"No," he said instantly. "You'd drink away everything I own, just Nanao-san."

"You're only offering because you know she's a light weight," Rangiku pouted.

"I can afford a light weight," he said with a laugh. "The king himself couldn't afford you."

"Come on, Nanao," Rangiku wheedled. "Now you have to come. It's free. And you can slip me extra drinks!"

"I suppose a little wouldn't do any harm," she said waveringly.

"A little what?" Kyouraku asked coming up behind them as they all filtered in.

"A little fun," Rangiku said, giving him a dirty look and putting her arm around Nanao's waist. "Girl's night and all." Then she dragged her away to stand in their usual spots. As the Taicho's usually altered divisions standing across from each other at formal meetings, i.e. the 2nd on the left row, the 3rd on the right row and so on down, the 8th and the 10th Taichos ended up standing next to each other with their fukutaichos taking the spots a space behind them.

Kyouraku and Hitsugaya moved in front of them, Kyouraku with a lingering look at the two women. Nanao didn't meet his eyes, but she could feel Rangiku glaring next to her. "Knock it off," she hissed.

"What?" Rangiku asked truly surprised.

"I don't want any drama," Nanao said quietly as the Soutaicho entered.

"Man deserves to be punished," Rangiku defended.

"There's nothing we can do," Nanao sighed. "So just leave it."

"You're much too nice," Rangiku said as the Soutaicho started taking his seat.

"I just want to pretend none of it ever happened," she replied.

"Even the good parts?" Rangiku asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Nanao said firmly. "The good parts just make the bad parts hurt that much more."

"I suppose that's one way to handle it," Rangiku said.

"Ladies?" the Soutaicho's voice bit into their conversation. "Am I interrupting something?"

Nanao flushed bright red and shook her head. "No, we're done. Thanks for checking!" Rangiku called cheerfully. The Soutaicho huffed but continued on. The meeting was a rather dull one that lasted far longer than it should have, and even Nanao was having problems concentrating by the end.

"Dismissed," the Soutaicho said finally.

"Nanao-chan," Kyouraku said, instantly turning to her.

"Ise fukutaicho, I need you for a minute," the Soutaicho said as people started for the door.

She shrugged at Kyouraku and swept past him, feeling him fall in a step behind her as everyone else filed out of the room.

"Do you need something, Shunsui?" the Soutaicho asked calmly as they came to a stop in front of them.

"You called for Nanao-chan?" he asked, ignoring the disapproval in the older man's tone.

"Yes, not for you," the Soutaicho said simply. "You're dismissed."

Shunsui grumbled for a bit, but left after a few minutes, telling Nanao he'd be waiting for her outside. She just rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the old man.

"He never did understand when a battle was lost," the Soutaicho said calmly. "Ise fukutaicho, I'm sure you are aware of the situation?"

"What situation is that, sir?" she asked, honestly confused.

"The one involving Kyouraku Shunsui and Hayashi Kiyoko," the Soutaicho clarified.

"Ah, yes, I'm aware," she said slowly. "How could I not be?"

"As you were still functioning in your fukutaicho capacity," he said, "I just wanted to be sure."

"Duty comes first," Nanao said stoutly. "I have always been quite adamant about keeping my personal affairs separate from my business ones. If you are concerned, I assure you that the 8th will continue functioning as normal. My previous personal relationship with Kyouraku Taicho will not affect the level of my work. I am first and foremost the fukutaicho of the 8th division."

"A respectable objective," the Soutaicho said. "Unfortunately, the 8th will no longer be requiring your services."

Nanao couldn't control the look of shock that ripped across her features. "Sir? I don't understand. Has the quality of my work gone down?"

"Quite the contrary," the Soutaicho responded calmly. "You've functioned quite admirably, and Kyouraku has completed more paperwork in the past week than he has in centuries."

"Then why am I being demoted?" she demanded, struggling to keep the hissing anger out of her tone.

"It was requested that you be placed elsewhere," he said, ignoring her obvious rage.

"By whom?" she challenged.

"The Kyouraku family," he said simply.

"Since when do the Kyouraku's run the Gotei 13?" she asked coldly.

"They don't," he said. "They requested a personal favor, and made a rather large donation. Beyond that it is part of our duty to protect the royal family and those whom serve it. The Kyouraku family makes the argument that your presence is a continuous unnecessary distraction and puts one of their direct heirs at risk."

"That's bullshit," she said before she could stop herself, and she saw Sasakibe fukutaicho react like he'd been slapped behind the Soutaicho. Perhaps she had allowed too much of Kyouraku's casual manner to rub off on her.

"The decision is already final," the Soutaicho said simply.

"So I'm to be hidden in the Kido Corps like a dirty stain," she said bitterly.

"That was the requested solution, and the Kido Corps would be more than happy to have you, but as the Kyouraku's do not, as you say, run the Gotei 13, I don't see any particular reason you should be placed there if you do not wish to go," he said. "There are other options."

"Fukutaicho of the 13th?" she offered tiredly.

"That is one choice," the Soutaicho said with a brief nod. "I'm sure Jyuushiro would be happy to have you, but I would like to make you one other offer before you decide."

She stood silently, waiting for him to continue, and tried to calm down her racing thoughts. Shunsui's family had always been an annoyance, but now she was downright pissed off. They had no right to meddle with her work. She didn't deserve to lose one more thing in her life due to Shunsui's mistakes.

"Over the past year and a half or so, and through the situation with your father," the Soutaicho started and she stiffened. "It has come to my attention that ignoring the Rukongai's dealings completely is not perhaps our best course of action. When we were just creating the Gotei 13 the living world and the Rukongai were too much to handle, one had to take precedence. As it is, we still do not have enough shinigami to take care of all the souls in the living world and in the Rukongai, but better access to and knowledge of Rukongai happenings seems to be an excellent idea as a whole. The way it stands now, the people with the most influence and power in the Rukongai are the four top Yakuza families."

"The Higurashi being among them," Nanao filled in, working hard to keep her face unmoving. "If you are asking me to spy on my brother and his work associates, sir, then I will have to accept the post of fukutaicho to the 13th."

"Not spy," he said simply. "Become an ambassador."

"What?" she asked, not following.

"A liaison, if you will, between our two worlds," he expounded. "You will stay a shinigami, but will spend much of your time with the Yakuza, forming bridges and sharing information."

"Just not too much information from our side, correct?" she asked cynically. "With all do respect, sir, I'm not going to screw over my only remaining family."

"That's why you're perfect for the job," he said calmly. "If I send just any shinigami in there they won't get farther than the front door. They don't trust us, and perhaps rightly so."

"Even if I can get past the front door," she said breaking in. "I'm not going to help you dominate them or move them as pawns. I love the Gotei 13, sir, but I'm loyal to my brother too. I won't spill secrets all over the place."

"Exactly," he said with an almost imperceptible half smile. "You're very good at keeping your lips sealed Ise-san, and you've obviously proven you can work through less than ideal circumstances. You are also loyal to both causes. You're the second best option to having someone who is completely devoted to the Gotei 13 secretly infiltrate their ranks. The problem with that course of action is if the ploy were ever discovered, any form of trust or camaraderie that could be built would be forever destroyed. You, on the other hand, have a vested interest in both sides. You won't, as you put it, screw either side over because you care for both. Would I prefer someone who will only play to our advantage? Of course. But can I tolerate someone who will want the best for both sides? The answer is yes. You are the only one who has any chance of remaining an open shinigami and yet still gaining access to their inner workings. When I say ambassador, I mean it. You would be expected to become a part of them as much as you are a part of us."

"I would never be able to tell you everything that goes on, or they would never trust me enough to share it with me," she pointed out.

"I'm aware," he replied. "Which is why the situation isn't ideal, but it's better than the zero contact that we've maintained over the years."

"So whom would I report to?" she asked, trying not to sound too interested.

"The first," he said. "But more specifically only to me. A weekly report would be expected, as well."

"And?" she prompted.

"That's all, Ise-san, become a part of them, gather useful information, form bonds, and hand in a weekly report," he said. "If we know about things like Tanaka we can act and react in a more adequate way. His dealings with Hollows and his manipulation of our internal communications has proven how dangerous these unknown risks are, not to mention the bribery and forgery that was necessary to get you placed among our ranks. It leads one to wonder how many others have been illegitimately placed here."

"And if I refuse?" she asked.

"Then you will accept the offer of the 13th or the Kido Corps," he replied gruffly.

"If I wish to stay in the 8th?" she asked stonily.

"I won't allow it," he stated firmly. "Regardless of the Kyouraku family's wishes, there is nothing left for you there. You've been stagnant in that position for decades, your original potential wasted. I've allowed it to continue, as it was simply easier to do so, rather than listening to Kyouraku whine and finding someone else to replace your administrative skills. At this point, the waste has come to outweigh the benefits. If this is really all you can be, a paper pushing fukutaicho, then so be it, continue to do so at the 13th, but if you have simply remained at this level to stay at his side, then perhaps it is time to realize that the only person you can truly live for is yourself. So what is it to be, child? Have you reached the pinnacle of your potential, or is it time that you begin to leave the nest?"

"Are you not worried in the slightest that I will betray you in favor of my blood relations?" she asked.

"Do you still love Shunsui?" the Soutaicho asked.

"Yes," she answered, seeing no reason to deny it, especially with Shunsui out of earshot.

"And do you love Matsumoto fukutaicho and Ukitake Taicho?"

"Of course," she said promptly.

"And could you betray them anymore than your own blood?" he pressed.

"No, sir," she replied.

"Then I am unconcerned," he said. "When you stop caring for them, I will take precautions."

"I won't stop caring about them," she defended fiercely.

"Than I shall never have need of precautions," he said simply. "I need a decision, Ise-san."

"I want a raise," she said finally, barely believing her own audacity.

"And why do you deserve one?" he asked calmly.

"I lose my rank if I accept this position."

"The ambassador has access to all the divisions and anything he or she would need in a way a fukutaicho never has as per my direct authority," he explained. "You lose a title, but nothing much of rank."

"Do I overrule any fukutaicho or Taicho in their own division?" she asked.

"No, though they will be required to help you in any fashion I see fit," he said.

"Then I lose my rank," she replied. "At least as a fukutaicho I had command over something. Beyond that, the ambassador position will require new clothes constantly as a shinigami uniform will never do. It will also require that I spend more time in the Rukongai, which means eating out more, and inevitably money is the biggest tongue loosener in the poorer districts. Not to mention the small gifts here and there that will need to be made to attract the appropriate friends. As I will no longer have a division budget, I'll need an allowance."

"The required funds will be supplied," he said when she finished. "You will also have your raise whether you choose the ambassador or the fukutaicho of the 13th. Now, your decision."

* * *

"What is taking so long?" Shunsui grumbled.

"You don't have to wait," Jyuushiro pointed out, leaning against the wall and watching his friend pace. "In fact, she'd probably prefer you go. Perhaps she's already done talking to him and has simply been hiding from you."

"She hasn't been avoiding me," Shunsui defended against the suggestion.

"Just telling you to get away from her with her every word and action," Jyuushiro said simply. "Maybe some space would do you both some good?"

"Absolutely not," Shunsui stated firmly. "Space will just help her move on. The last thing we need is space."

"Shun, I hate to break it to you," Jyuushiro said, glancing up at the stars, "But she is going to have to move on someday."

"I'm not marrying Hayashi-san," Shunsui growled. "We'll figure it out, because that's what we do, we figure things out together. We're a team, inseparable."

"Nanao-san," Jyuushiro greeted as the door opened and the petite woman exited.

"What did Yama-jii want?" Shunsui asked with as little tact as possible.

"He wanted to finalize and get my signature on my transfer papers," she said coldly, holding out a folder for him to take.

He looked at it like she was trying to hand him a dog turd and refused to take it from her hands. "Why? Why now? Why not at the start of the week? And why like this? Couldn't you have just talked to me?" he demanded. "You said our relationship doesn't affect our work so you shouldn't be doing this."

"First of all," she said strongly, "we don't have a relationship anymore. Second of all, I didn't put in the transfer request."

"Who did then?" he growled, ignoring her comment on their relationship. "I know I sure as hell didn't."

"Your family," she said yawning. "Apparently I am a distraction to your work, and a consistent strain on your home life. Both of these could damage your ability to function as a Taicho and thus I should be duly removed."

"They've crossed the line," he snarled. "They've no right. I'll fix this."

"There's nothing to fix," she said tiredly, holding out the files once more. "It's already done."

"You need your Taicho's approval," he argued.

"Not when the Soutaicho overrules him," she said with a shrug, and let her hand drop back to her side. "Take the forms or not, sir, it's already over."

"You agreed to this?" he asked quietly.

"It was that or be forcibly removed into the kido corps," she said tiredly.

"So Jyuu then," he said looking equally exhausted. His friend put a firm hand on his shoulder, and he was glad for the support. At least if she had to go, she wouldn't go far. He could just spend every day over at the 13th.

"No," she said shaking her head. "It was an option, but with all due respect Ukitake Taicho, I didn't think it was the best alternative given the situation."

"I can handle his family just fine," Jyuushiro said simply. "Where else is there for you to go?"

"To my family," she said simply. "The Soutaicho wants an Ambassador to the Rukongai's power families. Luckily I happen to know a few members of one rather well."

"He's sending you into the Rukongai?" Shunsui demanded.

"That is what I just said," she answered rolling her eyes.

"I won't allow it," he snapped, thinking of all the bad things that happened to lone shinigami who made a mistake or got distracted in the lower districts, not to mention the hollows that stalked the area that weren't always cleaned up in a timely fashion.

"The beauty of this sir, is that you no longer have a vote," she replied firmly. "As I said, it's already done."

"I'll talk him out of it," Shunsui argued.

"I can't be a child forever," she said. "And it's obvious that you can't be at my side forever either. This charade ends now."

"Nanao-chan," he said, trying to alter his tone as he realized commanding her wasn't going to do him any good at this point.

"Don't you dare," she said glowering at him. "There is nothing you can do. You can't wheedle or beg me into it. It's better this way."

"How can you say that?" he asked.

"Because seeing you breaks my heart," she admitted in a quiet moment of complete honesty. "It's better this way."

"Love," he sighed out, reaching for her and hating the way she flinched away. Only a week ago she'd have melted into him, let him tease her about being grumpy, and carry her home with only a small amount of physical damage. She'd have let him change her mind, and then claim that it had nothing to do with his badgering. But now she was as distant as she had ever tried to pretend to be before they'd started dating, only this time there was no acting.

"Let me go, Shunsui," she pleaded softly. It was his name that broke him. She hadn't said it once since that day, and he'd honestly worried he'd never hear it from her lips again.

"Only in work," he said defeated. "That's never what I wanted from you anyway. I can't give up on us though."

"You will, in time," she stated and met his eyes unerringly.

"I'll walk you home," he offered, unable to get up enough energy to start another fight.

"Just track my reiatsu," she said flatly. "You'll know if I don't reach my door safely."

"When is the transfer effective?" he asked.

"Immediately, sir," she replied.

He nodded his head once and tilted his hat down over his eyes although there was no sun to block out. "Goodnight Nanao-chan. I'll see you soon."

"Goodbye, Taicho," she said tightly. "Ukitake Taicho. See that you both get home safely." She shunpoed away and he tracked her reiatsu closely, debating following behind her despite her protests.

"If you follow her it will just make things worse," Jyuushiro said, sensing his friend's indecision.

"You think if I threatened seppuku she'd relent?" he asked.

"You think she'd believe for a moment you'd actually do it?" Jyuushiro asked, quirking a smile at his friend's dramatics.

He closed his eyes briefly as he felt her reiatsu touch down safely at her home. She was supposed to be mainly moved in with him by now. Everything was wrong. "I'm going to get drunk," he stated decisively.

"Isn't that what got you into this mess in the first place?" Jyuushiro asked.

Shunsui just grunted. "At this point, what more harm could it do? I'm drinking at home. No one there for me to sleep with. Are you in?"

"If only to make sure you don't die in your own vomit," Jyuushiro agreed with a shrug.

"I knew we were friends for a reason," Shunsui joked trying to pull himself out of his morose mood and not altogether succeeding. For tonight, there was nothing more that could be done. "Come on then."

* * *

**A/N: Ch-ch-changes. Sorry I had David Bowie going through my head during editing this. Nanao can't spend forever moping around the office now can she?**

**I'm glad you all liked the Boo Omake. I was torn when putting it up, because I was like hope they don't all hate the diversion, but I thought it was fun so I posted anyway :)**

**Sorry it's still slightly depressing and sad :( Unfortunately I always hated fics where the characters bounce back two days later after a breakup, friend death, etc. and are like oh ok whatever life goes on let's be happy again. So bear with me!**

**Till next time, please review!**


	14. Taking Shots

"You're what now?" Rangiku shrieked.

"Inside voice," Nanao chastised wincing. "The Soutaicho wanted me to take the job so I did. Would you stop pulling?"

"Sorry," Rangiku said, putting the curler down. She'd been helping Nanao get ready for a night out and had insisted her stick straight hair needed some curl to it. "But you are going to need to explain this better."

So Nanao took a deep breath and plunged into the explanation of the job while the woman continued to futz with her hair.

"How'd Kyouraku take it?" Rangiku asked quietly at the end of her tale.

"Not too well," Nanao admitted, "but there was nothing he could do. The Soutaicho only bends so far to Shunsui's whims, and I'm sure his family donated generously to the Gotei 13 to get what they wanted, which was stupid since I'm pretty sure the Soutaicho had been considering asking me to take this job regardless of what happened."

"Hmm," Rangiku hummed to herself. "Well, I suppose it's for the best. You did want to avoid the whole situation after all, besides some of your brother's friends are hot. Nothing better for a broken heart than a good rebound. Although I'm sure Hisagi would be up to the job if you'd prefer."

"Doesn't Hisagi-san have a crush on you?" Nanao asked with a confused face.

"Like a decade ago," Rangiku said rolling her eyes. "We went on like two dates, had a few fun nights, and then figured out that besides some wild animal sex we didn't have a whole lot together to maintain a relationship. But I highly recommend him in the bedroom department. Very energetic and anxious to please. Also has the stamina to keep up with some of the more adventurous positions."

"Great," Nanao said with a laugh. "I'll look into that."

"You really should," Rangiku encouraged. "He's sweet and he seems to have a legitimate crush on you. He's been asking after you whenever we've hung out for like half a year."

"I was still dating Kyouraku at that time. Did it ever occur to you that perhaps he was just being friendly?" Nanao asked rolling her eyes.

"Just because a woman is taken doesn't mean a man can't dream," Rangiku said warmly. "Besides boys being friendly generally means they'd be willing to jump you. Ask him to do the tongue ripple thing. It's a little slice of heaven.

"Ran," she yelled laughing. "Knock it off. I'm not going to sleep with Hisagi-san."

"Your loss," she said shrugging her shoulders. "Although I suppose you're doing him a favor, what with making it so Kyouraku doesn't try to kill him and all."

"Against my better judgment, what's the tongue ripple thing?" Nanao asked. Rangiku smiled naughtily and opened her mouth and then Nanao thought better of it. "Never mind, I changed my mind, I don't want to know."

"It's one of those things you have to experience to understand anyway," Rangiku said with a shrug. "Where is that blue shirt with the thin straps?"

"It's at Shunsui's house," Nanao admitted fidgeting with some of the odds and ends on her bureau. "I actually have a lot left at his house. I guess I'll have to go get it at some point."

"Or that's what shopping trips are for. There's got to be something good left here," Rangiku said, pointedly trying to avoid conversations about bad breakups. "Here we go!"

"I'm not wearing that," Nanao said sharply.

"Come on, it's hot," Rangiku whined.

"Shunsui bought that for me, knowing I'd never wear it," she said simply. "He just got it to piss me off."

"Time to shake things up," Rangiku pushed. The top was a bright red corset top that laced up the front. It was form hugging and made to make even the most modest of chests look appealing.

"I'm not wearing it," she said firmly.

"Nanao, come on," Rangiku said. "You're newly single, just got a new job and a raise, shouldn't you try something new in the wardrobe department too?"

An hour later they were leaving the house and Nanao pulled the light jacket she wore closer around her. "I don't know how I let you talk me into this," she muttered.

"Hey, it was a compromise," Rangiku replied with a smile. "If I'd had my way you'd be in the slutty skirt I bought you three years ago too."

"Why are we friends again?" she pouted.

"Mainly so you don't get old and wrinkly before your time," Rangiku answered mock seriously. "Now come on, we're going to be late."

"I really should change," Nanao wavered.

"March, soldier," Rangiku commanded pushing on her shoulders to get her moving.

They arrived at the bar late, but it really didn't matter as Hisagi and Kira had started drinking without them anyway.

"Ladies," Hisagi greeted standing up at the table. Kira did as well giving them a slight bow. Nanao returned the bow, but was quickly and informally dumped into a seat at the table by Matsumoto. Hisagi held up his hand for the bartender and ordered another round. "I'm only buying your first one, Ran."

"Aw, come on," she pouted. "You're a Taicho. You get paid much better than me. Aren't you supposed to take care of your subordinates?"

"You aren't my subordinate, thank kami," he said with a laugh.

"But I even brought you a present," Rangiku whined.

"I don't see any present," he commented, taking another swig of his drink and glancing pointedly at her empty hands.

"It's right here," Rangiku said, and before Nanao could stop her, Rangiku had tugged Nanao's concealing jacket down off her shoulders. Nanao flushed bright red and reminded herself to kill Rangiku when she managed to get her wrist free from the jacket sleeves. "See, isn't that worth paying for my drinks? It was very hard to get her to come out in that."

"I think all that deserves is poor Ise fukutaicho getting a few extra shots for her friend being a total abuser," Hisagi said with a laugh. Nanao desperately continued to try and untangle herself from the coat, if only just to kido blast her friend off her chair. "You look quite lovely though, Ise fukutaicho," he added, and then stomped on Kira's foot under the table.

"The color suits you," Kira said with a quick wince and an agreeing nod.

"Thanks," she muttered as she got free, knowing she was flushing red to match the top all over again. She was going to shave Rangiku's head in her sleep.

"No more formalities!" Rangiku announced happily. "Nanao-chan isn't a fukutaicho anymore so you can't call her that!"

"What is she talking about?" Hisagi asked, looking at her curiously. She gave him credit that his eyes stayed on her face, and he did look genuinely interested.

"The Soutaicho thought I could serve the Gotei 13 better by being a liaison to the Rukongai," she said.

"Ah, right, your brother lives out there doesn't he?" Hisagi inquired.

"Yes, he works with the Higurashi family," she confirmed.

"Well that's going to be interesting," Hisagi said thoughtfully. "And a hell of a lot less paperwork for you. Think they need another person?"

The table laughed and the waitress came over again when Hisagi caught her eye. "So what kind of shot, Ise-san?"

"Oh, no I couldn't," she said waving him off.

"Come on, it's free," he argued giving her a half smile.

"Yeah, you can't turn down free," Matsumoto said nudging her side.

"I don't think it's a good idea," Nanao said frowning. "I've never done shots before."

That raised a big protest from the table and Hisagi finally said, "Why not?"

"I'm a lightweight," Nanao admitted ruefully. "Shu-," she started and then corrected, "Kyouraku Taicho didn't think it'd be a good idea. Especially when all it takes is a couple mixed drinks and I'm under the table."

"You'll never know until you try," he replied grinning wider. "And I don't see Kyouraku Taicho anywhere around do you?"

"Live a little," Kira added, and it was probably the fact that the morose boy was telling her to live a little that convinced her the most.

"Something that doesn't taste like piss," she said finally.

"You heard the lady," he said winking at the waitress. "A shot that's better than piss."

"You are getting me home," she said to Rangiku.

"Sure, hunny, although I'm going to be as wasted as you are if we do this right," Rangiku said. "Got to give the ol' liver a work out. If it gets real bad I'll just send a reiatsu burst Taicho's way and he'll come get us. He's almost as bad as you were with Kyouraku-san."

"If I wake up in a ditch I'm burning your closet," she said, while in her mind adding, along with shaving your head.

"You won't wake up in a ditch," Hisagi comforted. "Though I can't promise you won't wind up on the floor of a stranger's home."

"Or a stranger's bed," Rangiku sang.

"I volunteer to be that stranger," a shinigami said coming up to the table and having only heard the last part.

"But I know you," Rangiku whined. Suddenly it seemed like the table was surrounded to Nanao, and she watched the three friends easily fall into conversation with the shinigami they obviously knew from many other nights out. She was content to observe as always, but after a bit of time she wondered if she'd been missing something all these years being as isolated as she was. Yes, she loved her close friends, but when one went away she didn't have much to fall back on. Being desperately faithful and completely in love with Shunsui all these years obviously hadn't done her any good.

"Ise-san?" she heard finally, and snapped her attention back to Hisagi who was holding a shot out to her.

"Oh, thanks," she said, taking it reluctantly and setting it down on the table. Shots made their way around the group, and she stared down at her own torn.

"To new beginnings," Rangiku said, picking up the tiny glass and pushing it back into her hands.

"Just hold your breath and toss it back," Hisagi advised.

"To new beginnings," Nanao agreed, uncomfortably aware she was the focus of attention. She threw the shot back and coughed violently as it burned down her throat.

"That a girl," Hisagi said fondly. "Another round!" The resulting cheers around her made her smile slightly. What the hell? She didn't have anything to lose, and there was no work the next day.

A few hours later she was not regretting the decision although the world was spinning as she tried to make her way to the bathroom. Nanao knew she wouldn't love it come morning, but she was surprisingly having a lot of fun, and it was much easier to talk to total strangers when you were slightly plastered. It probably also helped that there wasn't a Taicho that could break them in half around to monitor what they were saying. Conversation got funny and raunchy fast after the first comment was made and everyone figured out she wasn't about to rain kido fire down upon their heads for not being polite and civil. Given, everyone still had enough brains about them not to make overt sexual comments about her and her relationship with Kyouraku. That may have gotten them blasted through a wall.

"Ise-fukutaicho?" a voice called hesitantly as she washed her hands. She turned her head and blinked, trying to remember the 8th's squad member's name who stood next to her.

She finally gave up and simply said, "Yes?"

"Oh nothing," the girl said looking embarrassed. "I was just surprised to see you here."

Nanao just rolled her eyes and walked out of the bathroom, making a face as people pushed and jostled her. She may be drunk, but she still didn't like total strangers invading all of her personal space. Now where had her group been sitting?

"Ah, Nanao-san, there you are," Hisagi said coming up next to her. "We decided to bar hop. Everyone is waiting for us outside, but I told Ran I'd find you."

"Thanks," she said lightly, though in her head she was again using some choice words for the pushy manipulative woman. She'd told Rangiku she was going to the bathroom so there had been no need to send Hisagi searching. The fresh night air hit them as they walked out the doors and she relaxed even further. Everything was buzzing warmly in her head and she kept smiling for no reason, although having to run to the bathroom every fifteen minutes did get old. Yet another reason to be happy she wasn't pregnant. She shook that thought away, avoiding the other thoughts that would eventually come with it.

The group argued for a few seconds about which bar in the area would be best to go to and finally Nanao put in, "The Naughty Hollow has karaoke competitions on Saturday nights. If you win you get free drinks on the following Saturday night."

The group was silent for a moment and then Hisagi lifted an eyebrow and said, "You go there often?"

"Of course not," she replied. "Shunsui just always liked it and would drag me along occasionally." A few of their group members started at the informal name, especially since Nanao never used it in public, but said nothing.

"Well, was he going tonight?" Rangiku asked.

"How should I know?" Nanao snapped feeling irritated at the group's sudden weirdness. "I was just giving a suggestion. Don't go there if you don't want to."

"Who's up for karaoke?" Hisagi called, trying to turn the conversation. An agreeing mumble swept through the group and they all started off in that direction. Hisagi walked with her as she trailed behind the group. "Are you going to sing then?"

"Oh, no," she said with a laugh. "I'm still not that drunk, and I am as a whole pretty drunk."

"A few more shots should get you up on the stage," he agreed with a laugh.

"All I want is some noodles," she said plaintively. "Think the next bar will have food?"

"If not we can stop at a ramen shop on the street somewhere," he offered.

"Thanks," she said and truly meant it.

"No problem, hey didn't you have a coat?"

She glanced down at herself and cursed her slow moving mind. "I must have left it on the back of the chair at the bar. I'll catch up."

"Right," he said with disbelief in his tone. "Guys, were going back for Nanao-san's coat."

"Take your time!" Rangiku called cheerily. "In fact, we'll understand if you both get 'lost' somewhere along the way." The rest of the group joined in on the cheering and catcalls, and Nanao flushed lightly as Hisagi flipped them off.

"Well meet you there," he called. "Come on, Nanao-san, ignore them."

"Aren't you afraid of getting your ass kicked?" she asked finally as they wandered back to their original location.

"By you?" he asked confused.

"By Shunsui," she clarified, hating how her thoughts, even drunk, always circled back to him.

"What right does he have to kick my ass?" Hisagi asked with a shrug. "You're allowed to talk to other men."

"It's different now," she said pointedly.

"Yeah, now he was an idiot and really has no right to dictate who you hang out with," Hisagi said.

"Rangiku said you like me," she blurted and then reminded herself to drink less.

"I think you're interesting," he said thoughtfully. "But I suppose I don't really know you. I'd like to though. Know you that is."

"Get to know me or perform the tongue ripple?" she asked curiously and then mentally slapped herself. Nanao had never been good with flirting, and one of the things she'd enjoyed so much about being with Shunsui was that he knew her bluntness was usually just her way of being embarrassed and uncomfortable and not necessarily a come on.

Hisagi just laughed though. "Well, it's nice to know I have good reviews regardless of the fact that its creepy how much women tell each other. I think I'm going to go with get to know you, and not just because I know it's the correct answer in this situation. I think I could probably like you more than being a rebound, and I know right now that's all I would be."

"I've never had a rebound," she said thoughtfully. "Guess I've never had anything to rebound from."

"Sucks right?" he asked comfortably.

"A lot," she agreed. "Does random sex make it better?"

"At least sometimes for a little while," Hisagi said with a shrug. "Depending on the situation. I'm not thinking you're the type that would enjoy it too much. I had a girl use me as a rebound, even though I didn't know it at the time, and then spend the whole next morning crying in my apartment. Eventually her ex actually had to come and get her. Crazy mess that was."

"So you think I'm a crier?" she asked in a serious tone.

"What? Oh no, I wasn't saying that'd be you," he said trying to backtrack.

She just laughed and he relaxed discovering it was a joke. "You're probably right. I'd probably cry. Hell, I still cry now randomly."

"It's only been a week," he pointed out.

"Still," she said looking up at the sky. "I don't like feeling this way due to something that was completely out of my control."

"Yeah," he agreed and said no more. She appreciated him not trying to talk her out of her morose mood or cheer her up. Sometimes you just had to mourn. Hisagi, probably knew that best of anyone. He'd had his faith and loyalty betrayed too.

"Ise-san," a voice called out, and she prayed it wasn't another division member as she turned to the sound. Oh, this was worse.

"Kyouraku-san," she said coldly to Shunsui's brother, giving him a curt nod. Hisagi stopped walking next to her, and she was suddenly grateful she wasn't alone.

"You look," his brother said, and then paused sweeping his eyes up her body. She fought hard not to try and cover herself up with her arms. "_well_," he finished nastily.

"Do you need something?" Hisagi asked stonily next to her.

"Have you seen my brother?" he asked Nanao, not even acknowledging Hisagi's existence.

"I don't know why I would have," she said. "It's not a work day, and even if it was, your family made sure I wouldn't have contact with him then either. So I don't know why you're asking me."

Seichii snorted at that. "Regardless of what we attempt to do for his own good, Shunsui will still try to rut with you. So it was a natural assumption to believe he'd been after you tonight too."

She felt more than saw Hisagi's hand go to the hilt of his sword and she took a step in front of him to block his path. Apparently now that she and Shunsui were no longer dating, Seichii saw no reason to maintain even a middling level of decorum. "Well, he hasn't been around."

"I can see that," his brother sneered, looking over at Hisagi for the first time.

"Good luck finding him," she said, turning to continue to the bar, which was a few yards away.

"Ise-san," Seichii sighed a moment later. "I apologize for being rude. It's been a long night. Would you mind looking for him? I'd greatly appreciate it."

Everything in her screamed not to do him the favor, but as it was, she'd been itching to search Shunsui out all night, and now she'd been given the perfect platonic opening to do so. "Fine," she spat. She sent her reiatsu seeking in the way she'd done a million times before. If she'd been sober she'd have just sent it to locate him and not interact with him, but she couldn't help the need to just feel some small part of his being. So she reached out like they had hundreds of times over the past year and a half and brushed her reiatsu up against his own. His reiatsu instantly flared back in that protective questioning way it always did when he wasn't expecting her to signal him. She sent out her own feeling of well being to stop him from doing anything stupid and tried to hide the irritation she was feeling due to his brother being so near. She felt his own reiatsu jump with the pleasure of being in contact with her, and she suddenly knew she'd been stupid to do it. Nanao retracted her reiatsu quickly from the contact as she felt her own depression seep into her all over again.

"He's at the bar three blocks down that way," she pointed miserably. Cursing herself for giving into the impulse.

"Great," Seichii said, quickly capturing her outstretched arm and tugging her towards him. She gave a little yelp of surprise and took a stumbling step forward. The movement was accompanied by the sound of Hisagi's sword hissing out of it sheath. Nanao was surprised to hear the sound of other swords accompanying it though, and turned to see that their drinking party had looped back around to them.

"We were spying," Rangiku admitted without question, as Nanao glanced at them.

"What are you doing?" Hisagi requested calmly.

"Put your swords away right now," Seichii commanded narrowing his eyes. "This is between me, my brother, and the woman."

"Nanao-san is with us tonight," Hisagi said lightly. "Whatever problem you have with her, you have with us."

Some nods of agreement went around and Nanao felt their drunken camaraderie swell. "What do you want, Kyouraku?" she demanded, dropping the polite suffix off his name.

"My brother's been bolting from me all night," he admitted looking pissed. "He'll be far less likely to do so again with you accompanying me."

"I'm not his keeper," she growled. "If he wants to run from you, I don't blame him. Now let go of my arm."

"You're an uncouth Rukongai nothing, and you will do as I say," he stated arrogantly, turning to tug her further down the street.

"Not anymore," she snarled. If she'd been sober she'd have found a better more diplomatic solution, but as it was she just didn't care anymore. This family was no longer allowed to screw with her. And she was suddenly mad at everything, mad at Seichii, mad at Shunsui, mad at the whole shitty situation. She raised the kido before he could react and blasted him off her arm and into a bench on the side of the road.

"You filthy Rukongai bitch," he roared as he picked himself up from the splintered wood.

"Say that again," Rangiku requested darkly, instantly next to her. In fact the whole group had swarmed up to stand defensively around her.

"Considering you're speaking to a whole lot of Rukongai 'filth' as you put it," Hisagi cautioned, "I think it'd be wise to be on your way."

"What's going on?" Shunsui demanded as he rounded the corner with Jyuushiro a step behind.

"Not strong enough to stand up on your own?" Seichii demanded of Nanao, ignoring Shunsui's question.

She laughed at that and signaled for the rest of the group to back off. They reluctantly did so, although many kept their swords out. "I don't think I'm the one that's worried about it. Come on then, they won't interfere," she goaded, pissed off to hell and back at her own stupidity in pausing to give this man the time of day.

"Seichii, don't you dare touch her," Shunsui threatened.

"Stay out of it damn it," she snapped at him. "I'm not under your protection anymore, and I sure as hell don't have to put up with your family's shit." Shunsui looked shocked at the rude reprimand and paused in his movements towards his brother. "So?" she asked Seichii. "Show me what you nobles' have got."

"There will be severe repercussions for this," his brother stated glaring.

"I think we can deal with the slap on the wrist we'll get," Hisagi said comfortably. "Because frankly a group of shinigami that also contains a Taicho and three fukutaichos is infinitely more useful to the Gotei 13 than one more whiney ass, money grubbing noble."

"What is it, Seichii? Now's your chance to put me in my place like you wanted to so many years ago," she said disgusted. "I promise, Shunsui won't stop you from trying to hit me this time. Although I must warn, I'm not a little girl anymore."

"Like I would waste my time with you heathens," he snarled. "Stay away from the Kyouraku family."

"With pleasure," she said, giving him a mocking bow. "We have better things to be doing anyway." That said, she turned on her heel and started back towards the bar. Her adrenaline rush was overcoming her drunkenness, and she felt it instantly when Seichii fired off his own kido blast at her back. She glared over her shoulder and threw up a shield instantly without saying a word or making any sort of accompanying motion. His blast exploded off the shield in a rain of red sparks. "Pathetic," she commented viciously and then continued on her way, feeling the rest of her group form up behind her.

They got back into the bar and suddenly everyone was talking at once. For her part, Nanao felt her legs go a little weak as the adrenaline started to fade. She couldn't even begin to make out what everyone was saying around her. What in the hell had she been thinking doing that?

"That was amazing, Nanao!" Rangiku cooed throwing an arm around her shoulders. "Welcome to the next stage of grief; anger." She called for another round and everyone started bouncing around again.

Rangiku moved off as someone asked her what was going on, and Hisagi moved forward to take her place. "You alright?"

"Besides wanting to throw up?" she asked trying to focus. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Will Kyouraku Taicho be angry at you?" he asked, grabbing a shot the waitress was bringing around and pushing it into her hands.

Nanao downed it without thinking and took the next one he handed her. "Not for fighting with his brother, no."

"Then because you basically told him and his entire family to take a hike?"

"It doesn't matter," she said, swallowing the lump in her throat. "It was the truth, they don't have anything to do with me anymore."

"Except for the fact that you're still in love with him," Hisagi observed.

"Nothing I can do about that," she agreed.

He tapped the bottom of the second shot glass she was still holding. "It'll solve all your problems at least for a few hours."

She finally glanced over at him, and saw her own sadness reflected there. Sometimes you had to make a stand for what was right, regardless of what you wanted to do or who you wanted to be with. Didn't mean it didn't feel like shit though. "To oblivion," she said and downed the shot. "I need another."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it took me a bit to get this out. I've been lacking motivation to edit and write recently :( Anyway thanks for all the kind reviews and I'm glad you all like the change!**

**Reviews to keep me motivated, pretty please!**


	15. Love & Marriage

"What are you smiling about?" his friend asked him.

"Just picturing Seichii again with that chunk of wood in his hair after Nanao-chan blasted him through that bench last night," Shunsui said grinning wider. "Also the look on his face after she swatted his kido down like it was an irritating bug."

"You do realize he's never going to forgive her for that loss of face," Jyuushiro pointed out.

Shunsui just shrugged. "He hasn't forgiven her for lighting his kimono on fire as a child, so really nothing changed. Besides he'd have to go through me to get to her, and he knows that."

"It was pretty great," Jyuushiro conceded sipping his tea.

"She looked great too," Shunsui sighed. "Wish Matsumoto had convinced her to wear that while she was still coming home with me every night. Oh well, now she's set a precedence it'll be easier to talk her into it the next time."

"You still think you can win her back?" Jyuushiro asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"It's either think that or throw her over my shoulder, run away, and live the rest of our lives in hiding from my family regardless of how she protests," he said. "I don't know that she'd appreciate the latter."

Jyuushiro snorted. "She'd probably turn that kido on you then. Even you'd have trouble fending off an actual blast from her. I was surprised at the strength and speed of that shield. To be honest, I didn't know she was quite that good, as I haven't seen her in a difficult field mission for years."

"And she was drunk," Shunsui pointed out.

"If she's that strong with kido, why hasn't she mastered her zanpaktou better?" Jyuushiro asked thoughtfully.

"Dunno," Shunsui replied laying back on the porch and stretching out in the sun. "She won't talk about it. Not even in the past year or so when she was getting more open with things. She did the one test to prove she'd mastered shikai to become a fukutaicho, and I've rarely ever seen it since. The few times she has used it was when she thought I was in imminent danger of getting killed."

"Didn't it just magnify her kido?" Jyuushiro asked.

"As far as I could tell, yes," he said simply. "I'm not sure why she's so adverse to using it. She used to shut me out for days if I brought it up in the past."

"And recently?" Jyuushiro asked.

"Recently she found more interesting ways to shut me up," Shunsui said smiling fondly.

"Don't want to know," Jyuushiro said rolling his eyes.

Shunsui sighed. "Think she's with Hisagi right now?"

"Obviously you don't or you'd be beating down her door," Jyuushiro answered.

"I don't really have the right to tell her no, if that's how she wants to get back at me," he said, shifting his hat down to guard his face from the glare of the sun.

"I doubt Nanao-san would sleep with someone just for the sole satisfaction of pissing you off," Jyuushiro said calmly. "She'd have to actually be interested. Pissing you off would just be a bonus at this point."

"He can't keep up with her," Shunsui muttered.

"Hisagi-san has proven himself very capable," Jyuushiro replied neutrally.

"He's a good loyal fighter and a smart fun boy," Shunsui agreed. "Doesn't mean he has half the will or wit to keep up with my Nanao-chan. She'll have him trailing her like a puppy before their third date."

"You follow her like a puppy," Jyuushiro said grinning.

"Yes, but I just do that to lull her into complacency, and then I do something naughty and shake up her whole world," Shunsui said with a twinkle in his eye. "She needs that. Keeps her young."

"Whatever you need to tell yourself," Jyuushiro said laughing. The laugh broke down to a rattling cough and Shunsui was sitting up in a flash. "It's fine," the man got out between two coughs as he held up a hand to ward his old friend off. The fit came to an end and he spat the phlegm and blood out of his mouth in the dirt of the garden.

Shunsui watched him critically as he recomposed himself and then said, "Getting worse?"

"No worse than usual," Jyuushiro said off-handedly. "It always gets a little worse when the seasons change. You know that."

"Mmm hmm," Shunsui said obviously not buying all of it. The two friends lapsed into a comfortable silence, and Shunsui contemplated the years they'd known each other. He'd been lucky that Jyuushiro had such a kind heart and had decided to take a chance on him despite detesting him. As a whole, Shunsui was not proud of the angry child he'd been. At the time, he'd felt trapped and alone and lashed out in the only way he knew how, by truly not giving a shit about anyone or anything. Life couldn't hurt you if you just didn't care.

Takahashi Omi had been his first real experience with death, well at least within his afterlife, and it had been his fault. He'd been cavalier and so convinced that nothing could ever touch him, because he was a Kyouraku and no matter what he did or how he protested his family would step in and make everything go away. They did it even when he didn't want them to, so what chance did he have? It didn't matter one way or another what he chose to do with his life because he'd always wind up in the same damn spot, exactly where his family wanted him to be. He'd had no control over his own existence so he'd certainly never seen any reason to be careful with it.

Ukitake Jyuushiro had turned out to be one of the first people he'd cared about in a very long time. His grandfather had been the other. In fact, his grandfather was the sole reason he hadn't run away or tried to kill himself while living in his family's home. But Jyuushiro had been the first person outside his grandfather to actually expect something more out of him than just coasting by, and not because he was a noble, but because they expected him to just be a decent human being. He'd been the first person to see him as anything other than Kyouraku Shunsui, second in line to one of the oldest noble families in the Seireitei. Jyuushiro had challenged and pushed him and expected him to take responsibility for his actions. Jyuushiro had also beaten the shit out of him during their first hand to hand combat session with little care of what his last name was.

For the first time in his life, Shunsui had felt proud of his own accomplishments regardless of whether they pleased his family or not. Their emotions increasingly lost all bearing on his life whatsoever. He did nothing to piss them off or to please them, he only did what pleased himself. If that happened to piss them off as well, then it was just an added bonus. Gradually it had felt like standing up straight for the first time and letting a two ton weight that had been crushing him roll right off his back.

It was due to that alone that compliments from Yama-jii had no longer felt like comments about how well he was living up to his family's expectations. "You both are progressing nicely," the old man had said, ending their session. "Ito-sensei has requested you both attend the regular class next week to help some of your fellow students with mastering their blades, so I'll see you again the week after."

The man had started to stride away, and Shunsui had called out after him, "Oy! Aren't you going to tell us to enjoy our weekend?"

"I've seen how you enjoy things, Kyouraku," he'd said over his shoulder while continuing to walk. "I shall never encourage any of that behavior."

"I think he's growing rather fond of me," Shunsui had joked, elbowing Jyuushiro in the side.

"You're an idiot," the boy had said tolerantly.

"You're family still coming this weekend?" Shunsui had asked as they both sat down to clean their blades.

"Just tonight for dinner," Jyuushiro had replied lightly. They'd formed a comfortable friendship over the past year since that unfortunate training exercise. "My mother said to invite you along."

"Yes!" Shunsui had cheered. "Your mother is a woman of grace, beauty, and intelligence."

"You just want free dinner," Jyuushiro had argued rolling his eyes.

"And the pleasure of hearing embarrassing stories about your childhood, yes," Shunsui had agreed happily. "I still can't believe you were afraid of spiders to the point that your younger sister had to kill it for you."

"I was six," Jyuushiro had defended. "Besides they don't scare me anymore."

"Uh huh," Shunsui had replied noncommittally.

"If I find any fake spiders in any of my things, I will hunt you down and shave your head," Jyuushiro said calmly.

"Who said anything about fake spiders?" Shunsui had asked grinning.

"If I find any real spiders in any of my things, I will hunt you down and kill you," Jyuushiro had added.

"You have absolutely no sense of humor," Shunsui had chastised.

As it was, Jyuushiro's oversized family had poured into their room right on time that night. His brothers had dived straight for Shunsui's ever present manga pile, which had secretly been restocked the day before when Jyuushrio had told him his family was coming. Shunsui adored Jyuushiro's family. They were everything the Kyouraku's weren't; warm, loving, supportive. He'd always played it off, but he'd practically wanted to beg to be included whenever they came.

"Shunsui-kun," Jyuushiro's little sister had pouted staying near his roommate's side.

"No hello hug, Yuki-chan-chan?" he'd asked looking sad.

"You're a bad guy if you're not wearing pink," Yuki had said matter-of-factly. The girl took great joy in her older brother's hulking friend walking around in a pink haori and wouldn't come near him without it, although she'd long ago realized he was nice regardless of what he was wearing.

"Silly of me to forget," he said with a laugh. "Look, Yuki-chan-chan, I got a new one. Should I wear the one with the flowers or with the bunnies?" He'd gone to a thrift store and found the most ridiculous pink garments he could buy.

"The bunnies!" she'd said gleefully.

"You don't have to do this," Jyuushiro had said, smiling and shaking his head.

"What are you talking about?" Shunsui had asked, whipping the atrocious thing around his shoulders. "I want to be a good guy, and don't you think it makes me look kind of dashing?"

"Up," Yuki had interrupted demandingly the second the pink cloth touched down on his shoulders.

"Whatever the princess wants," Shunsui had agreed laughing, bending down and helping her to climb up on his shoulders.

"You're going to make her a spoiled brat," his friend chastised.

"You're just jealous, Jyuu-nii," his sister had scolded before sticking out her tongue from her new height.

"Oh terribly," Jyuushiro had agreed with a laugh.

"Boys, I mean it, you can look at the manga later. We're all going to dinner," Jyuushiro's mother had said, desperately trying to corral her brood.

"Oy, you lot," Jyuushiro had said raising his voice. "Mom says were going. Put those away or I'll light them on fire and you can go home with nothing. Also maybe ask if you can really have them and thank Kyouraku-san before you behave like a bunch of barbarians!"

"Yare, Yare," Shunsui had said, taking a bounce step to make Yuki laugh. "Of course they can have them."

"Not the point," Jyuushrio had told him rolling his eyes. "Now, round up."

His younger siblings had formed into a more cohesive grumbling group and his mother had flitted around them herding them all out the door as Shunsui and Jyuushiro had followed. They'd never gone anywhere fancy, Jyuushiro's family wouldn't have been able to afford it for so many mouths, but Shunsui always enjoyed the food and the company. He'd actually tried to pay for it all several times, but Jyuushiro's mother had never allowed it except when it was someone's birthday or some other special occasion. That particular night had been one of many spent talking and teasing and laughing during the dinner, which had lagged as they finished dessert.

"So we'll come again in about two weeks," his mother had commented off-handedly.

"Mom," Jyuushiro had said sharply, and Shunsui had focused more on the conversation hearing the tone.

"What? You don't want to see us?" she'd asked innocently.

"You know that's the week of the class trip," he'd said sounding tired.

"Shiro-chan," his mother had started, "You know I don't think it's a good idea. With your health it's not good to be so far away from the 4th."

"I'm not going to drop dead on a one week trip to Apulia," Jyuushiro had complained vehemently.

"I don't think it's a good idea, and we can't afford it anyway," his mother had said placating. "You want us to be able to keep sending you to school right?"

"Yes," Jyuushiro had agreed, backing off miserably. Shunsui had seen it happen a few times before, although Jyuushiro had tried to keep it private. As much as his family was loving and supportive, his mother could also be smothering and dependent. With Jyuushiro's father having passed away a few years ago, Jyuushiro had become the rock of the family and his mother was terrified of losing him too.

"I can loan you the money," Shunsui'd said with a shrug, knowing it'd never be accepted if he just offered to pay for it. He'd just be sure to make a bet over something stupid with Jyuushiro later for the exact price and lose.

"There," Jyuushiro had said motioning towards him, and it was a sign of how desperate he'd been that he didn't even try to argue the money issue.

"Shiro-chan, it's out of the question," his mother had said getting more anxious and beginning to fidget with her youngest son's hair absently. "We can't risk it for your health. Who knows what healers are like in Apulia?"

"I'm sure they're just like healers here," Jyuushiro had argued. "It's not like its some backwater territory. It's a large city."

"Exactly," his mother had said tensely. "All that congestion and fast pace can't be good for you. If you want to go somewhere you should spend time out at our country estate."

"I've spent every vacation since I got sick at the country estate!" he'd contended. "I get sick occasionally, it doesn't mean I'm a total invalid."

"Of course not, dear," his mother had said. "Goodness, your little brother looks exhausted. We really should be getting home now." Jyuushiro's mother had never been comfortable with confrontations, unlike Shunsui's own mother, and avoided them at all costs. "Do think about the country estate if you're bored," she'd added as she hitched a child on each hip and started moving them towards the door.

"Mom, the manga," one of Jyuushiro's brother's had whined.

"I'll send it on," Shunsui'd put in with a grin. Jyuushiro's family had escaped quickly and the white haired boy had sighed dejectedly. "Shall we head back?" Shunsui'd asked.

"Whatever," his roommate had said getting up and leading the way.

Two weeks later their classmates had left for the school trip and they'd been left alone in the dorms and academy for the week off.

"You really didn't have to stay behind," Jyuushiro had said flatly the first day.

"Neither did you," Shunsui had pointed out bluntly.

"My mother," Jyuushiro had started to defend.

"Do you always do everything authority figures tell you to do?" Shunsui had asked, rolling his eyes and strumming on his shamisen.

"There are rules for a reason," Jyuushrio had replied.

"Would you have dropped dead if you went to Apulia?" he'd asked writing down a lyric on a piece of paper next to him.

"No," Jyuushiro had said fiercely.

"Then that particular rule has no reason except for a mother's fear," Shunsui had argued lightly. "Following rules blindly isn't an admirable quality no matter what you may think. If Yama-jii suddenly decided to have you kill an innocent and said it's a rule would you do it?"

"What a stupid hypothetical question. Why would Yamamoto Sensei ever order something like that?" Jyuushiro had asked glaring, and then had quickly returned to his former melancholy state. "Never mind, no matter what I can't go against her wishes."

"Then stop moping about it," Shunsui had said. "If you aren't going to change anything, then give up and be a good little boy forever."

"Says the boy that broke rules right and left," Jyuushiro had pointed out. "Saw where that got you."

"Both sides have their good and bad points," Shunsui had replied calmly. "I picked up your good points, are you going to ignore all of mine?"

"Name one," Jyuushiro had challenged.

"Being fun, enjoying life, being grateful for the here and now instead of constantly looking towards some forthcoming goal that will constantly evolve and always remain in some distant future," Shunsui had said flatly. "You're a good kid, with a good heart, but frankly my friend, you've got a stick up your ass."

"I do not," he'd said looking offended.

"Yama-jii, says jump you jump, a sensei says jump you jump, your mama say jump you jump. Seeing a pattern?" Shunsui had replied unruffled.

"Respecting the rules is not something to be ashamed of," Jyuushiro defended.

"Without questioning them and finding them valid it sure as hell is," Shunsui had argued.

"So what do you suggest I do?" Jyuushiro had asked, seeing some logic to Shunsui's reasoning, but at the same time just humoring him.

"Let's break some rules," Shunsui'd said finally, looking up at him and grinning.

"Like what?" Jyuushiro had asked trying to hide his own curiosity.

"I can think of a few," Shunsui had replied.

They'd spent the week setting up pranks around the empty academy and tearing up the Seireitei and the higher districts during the night. Shunsui had even managed to get his uptight friend fall down drunk one night, though they'd failed to complete some of the pranks they'd had planned the next day due to massive hangovers.

The week following, when everyone had returned to the school, had been chaos. Entire classrooms had had their furniture switched, all the test dummies had randomly started to avoid or reflect kido spells, alarms had gone off on random schedules, an entire rickshaw had been assembled inside a sensei's office, and classes hadn't even been able to be held the first day due to all the free roaming chickens that had somehow found their way into the building and refused to be caught.

They'd both been called into Yama-jii's offices at the end of the week.

"I expected as much from you," Yama-jii had said calmly staring Shunsui down. "But not from you, Ukitake-san."

Jyuushiro had looked sufficiently chastised, although that could have just been due to the fact that Shunsui'd funded celebration drinks the night before and neither of them had been enjoying the light or loud noises that particular morning.

"You've sent the entire school into a state of anarchy and wasted the entire staff's time chasing chickens," Yama-jii had continued.

"Why do you think it was us?" Shunsui had asked casually.

"Who else could it have been?"

"Someone who owns chickens?" Shunsui had suggested. "My family doesn't own chickens, how about yours Jyuu?"

"Not that I know of," his friend had replied subdued.

"Well there you have it, no access to chickens," Shunsui had added with a shrug.

"Kyouraku," Yama-jii had rumbled. "I've been more than pleased to see the positive impact Ukitake has had on you, but I'm less enthralled with the detrimental effect you've had on him."

"Sir? I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," Shunsui had replied with a small smile. "Jyuushiro-kun and I have just been laying around all week, occasionally going out to the bars."

"I know it was you," the older man had said narrowing his eyes even further.

"Please can we see the proof?" Shunsui had argued delicately.

"This won't be tolerated, and you will be caught," Yama-jii had grumbled. "Now get out of my office."

"Yes, sir," Shunsui had said bowing smartly. Then he had grabbed his friend's shoulder and pulled him out of the office with him. They had made their way back to their room and once inside Jyuushiro had spoken again.

"Did we just get away with that?"

"Told you it'd be fine," Shunsui had said with a smile. "We broke a ton of rules, had a great time, did little to no harm to anyone involved, and got pretty much a week off from classes for a reward. Plus I got to hear Yama-jii say chasing chickens. Sometimes you just need to have a little fun."

"This headache isn't fun," Jyuushiro had whined.

"Just got to build up your tolerance," Shunsui had answered laughing. "Besides I didn't see you complaining when you were making out with that girl at the bar last night."

Jyuushiro had just thrown a pillow at him and laughed. They'd both been lost in their own thoughts for a few minutes before Jyuushiro had interrupted again.

"Shunsui?" he'd started.

"Yes?"

"Thanks for staying with me," the boy had finished lightly.

"Anytime," Shunsui had replied, and he had meant it.

"Shunsui?" the same voice asked, popping him out of his memories.

"Yes?"

"I think someone is knocking on your door," Jyuushiro said smiling at his friend's ability to zone out in any situation.

"Right, guess I should get that," Shunsui said pushing himself to his feet. He plodded towards the door and wasn't ashamed that he had heard the knocking. It was a hesitant little knock that barely reached his back porch. He slid the door open and looked down at the petite woman standing there anxiously.

"Kyouraku-dono," she said, instantly giving a polite bow.

"Kiyoko-san," Shunsui greeted with a sigh.

"I, uh, I made lunch, and your mother said I might bring it to you?" the girl finished as more of a question then a statement and held the bento boxes out in front of her like a shield.

"Well, my friend is over right now," Shunsui said trying to politely side step the offer. He felt sorry for the girl more than anything else. She was a sweet naïve thing, who had the circumstances been any different, he'd have felt it his duty to be kind to and try to get into the 4th or the 7th. As it was, he just felt vaguely nauseous when she was around, constantly looking at her and wondering what his drunk self had found desirable about her. She was everything he pitied, not tried to sleep with. Not that she wasn't beautiful, but the frightened timid way she carried herself was just so off putting.

Her blue eyes glanced up at him and he saw the tears clouding their corners. Shit, he thought, he really hated it when girls cried, and this one did it a lot. "I made quite a bit," she said softly. "I'm sure there would be enough for everyone if your friend would like to join, although I'm sure she probably wouldn't want to."

He sighed. Shunsui knew this wasn't easy for her either. It was obvious that, however impossible, the girl really did think she had feelings for him, and he didn't even make an attempt to hide the fact that he was in love with someone else and wanted nothing to do with her. "Oy, Jyuu, want some lunch?" he yelled out through the house, and tried not to grimace when she jumped at the volume of his yell.

"Not if you made it," his friend called back.

"Kiyoko-san made it," he shouted.

There was silence for a few moments in which Shunsui was sure his friend ran through a million different responses in his head. "Well in that case, how can I say no?" Jyuushiro asked entering the hallway. "But I can only stay for a little while longer. Things to attend to, you know."

Ah, so that was it, Shunsui thought, Jyuu would be kind enough to mediate the awkward start, but had no intention of buffering the whole situation. "Back to the porch then?" Shunsui offered, but recanted it when he saw the horror flicker across the girl's face. Of course, she would find the idea of eating while lounging around on the porch offensive, noble manner had been beaten into her since birth. He chastised himself internally for forgetting once again, and also knew she would never verbally presume to argue with his decisions either, due to the way she'd been raised. "Or perhaps the table."

She looked instantly more comfortable and moved about easily setting their places at the table correctly after he showed her where it was. Once everything was in place they all sat down, and an uncomfortable silence filled the air as they began to eat.

"This is really rather good," Jyuushiro complimented trying to break the unease.

"Yeah, really good," Shunsui offered half-heartedly. Really it was good, but not as good as Nanao's, and that thought just made him more depressed than ever. He wondered briefly if she'd made breakfast for Hisagi this morning.

"Shun, what'd the food do to you?" Jyuushiro asked breaking him out of his reverie. He realized he'd been stabbing at the sushi and put down his chop sticks for a moment. "Don't mind him Kiyoko-san, he's always like this when he hasn't had enough to drink in the morning," Jyuushiro joked.

"Would you like some sake? I could serve it if you want," the girl suggested earnestly. "Your mother told me you enjoyed your drink."

"I'm fine," he snapped, and then tried to soften his tone. "Jyuushiro was just teasing me."

"Ah, of course," she said, pausing halfway through standing up to resume her seat. Silence started again, and finally Jyuushiro cleared his throat.

"So, I uh have to go," Jyuushiro said standing up. "Thank you for the wonderful food, Kiyoko-san." She instantly stood and gave him a deep bow. "That's really unnecessary," he said kindly.

"Thank you for honoring me by eating it, Ukitake-dono," she said sincerely.

"Have a good day," he said uneasily, quickly leaving the premises. Kami how Shunsui envied him right then.

"Kiyoko-san," he said with a sigh. "We should talk."

"As you wish, Kyouraku-dono," she said, looking up at him hopefully.

"Look I don't know what you expect from me, but I think we should clear it up right now," Shunsui said tiredly.

"Of course," she said with a small sitting bow.

"I can't marry you," he said firmly. "I don't even know you. I'm in love with someone else, and I still don't even understand how this happened. I know your family has disowned you, and I'm sure my family is already plotting a wedding, but I can't. I don't love you. I'll support you and the baby and make sure you're safe, but that is all I can offer."

"This other woman," Kiyoko said demurely, "Nanao-san right? Is she going to marry you then?"

"I'm working on it," Shunsui said stiffly.

"Your mother said she'd barely speak to you," the girl offered shyly.

"She's pissed," Shunsui agreed. "She has the right to be, but I know my Nanao-chan. We love each other. I can get her to come around eventually."

"Are you so sure?" Kiyoko asked softly. "I know you don't love me, but I do love you. I've loved you since I first met you when we were children. I knew you were the one the second I saw you, and when I saw you again at that party my heart skipped a beat. A lot of arranged marriages begin without love and it grows over time. Could ours not be the same?"

"I love Nanao," he said simply.

"And when she moves on and falls in love with someone else?" Kiyoko asked looking down at her hands. "What good will it do?"

"I'm going to get her back," Shunsui said firmly. "She can't hate me forever, and I'm not going to be apart of one more family I despise."

The girl looked up in shock at the last sentence and then quietly burst into tears. "I'm sorry," she sobbed as she got to her feet. "I'll go now."

Shunsui cursed himself internally for not just being able to let a crying woman go. "Kiyoko-san," he said, placing a soft hand on her arm. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that to come out so harshly, but I don't even know you, and I don't feel any sort of attachment for the child you're carrying. Trust me, I feel like an ass simply for feeling like this, but I can't force myself to feel any other way. I don't remember you, I don't remember sleeping with you, and this all feels like some terrible nightmare I can't wake up from." The woman just started crying harder and apologized a few more times. "Come on, let me get you a tissue," he said, suddenly exhausted.

Once the girl had cried herself out, he served her some tea and they sat together in uncomfortable silence. "If you can't win her back, would you consider marrying me?" she asked quietly after a time.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully. "Wouldn't it bother you that you were just a fall back?"

"I can stand to be in second place if I get you and a healthy child," she said simply. "I'll love enough for the both of us."

"You should be first in someone's heart Kiyoko-san," he replied sternly. "You should demand it, and I can't offer you that."

"A wife is happy if her husband is taken care of and pleased with her work in the home and she can produce healthy long-lived offspring," she said earnestly. "She doesn't need to be loved. Doing her duty is good enough."

"Kami, I hate that noble crap they feed you," Shunsui said honestly. "Pretend to be happy despite everything being a pile of shit? Why? What good does that do?"

"What harm does it do?" the girl asked confused. "Everyone gets what they need. The husband's household is kept, he's given heirs, and the wife is protected and supported. What's so wrong with that? Love comes with time."

"I can't accept that," he said honestly.

"Even if you'll never be able to have what you really want?" she asked again. "I'm willing to wait as long as it takes."

"And if Nanao-san accepts me back," he said curiously. "Then what will you do?"

"Then I will do as a proper lady should and step out of the way," she said lightly. "I wouldn't mind being your concubine."

"I don't want a concubine," he said simply. "And Nanao would never accept it."

"Why not?" the girl asked perplexed. "She'd be the wife, and her children would be first in line to inherit. What would she mind if you needed one more woman to keep you happy? A wife should do everything in her power to keep her husband comfortable."

"Nanao-chan wasn't brought up with old-school noble ideals," he said with a sigh. "And regardless, I don't need another woman to keep me happy. I only need her."

"I will wait," the girl said patiently. "Me and the baby will wait."

Shunsui nodded sadly. There really wasn't much else to say, as the woman was obviously not going to be dissuaded. "You should head home before it gets dark," he said standing up again.

"Of course," she replied standing up and giving him a bow. "Your mother would worry otherwise."

"Kiyoko-san," he called as she reached the door. "Did my mother tell you about the baby?"

"The youngest of the youngest," she said proudly. "Yes, she told me. I will take good care of the baby and myself. I'm lighting incense in hopes that it will be a boy."

"Goodnight, Kiyoko-san," he said tiredly.

"I will visit again soon, if it wouldn't be too much of a bother," she said hopefully.

"Whatever," he said, not having the heart to tell the shy little thing to stay the hell away from him. She didn't get herself into this mess on her own. He watched her go, and sent his reiatsu seeking for Nanao's. Not to touch against hers, but merely to locate her. She was home, and he searched the surrounding area. He had to admit he was relieved not to find any trace of Hisagi. He was going to win her back if it killed him.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry it's late. I'm still having serious inspiration/motivation problems :( Though not for lack of encouragement. You guys are the best as usual!**

**Anyway hopefully I will regain it over this long weekend. To all of you Americans, happy 4th of July! One of my favorite holidays purely because it mainly consists of family/friends, firworks, and food. Nothing at all wrong with that!**

**Please review!**


	16. New Adventures

Nanao woke up on Monday morning still feeling a bit off after that bender on Saturday night. She'd woken up on Sunday, with no recollection of how she'd gotten home, to someone banging on her door, and she'd found Hisagi, Kira, and Rangiku all passed out in her apartment. In fact she'd nearly tripped over Kira on her way to the door. Hitsugaya had been standing there as she'd opened it demanding his fukutaicho, as Matsumoto had apparently promised to come in this weekend and help him with the paperwork because she'd disappeared during two of the past five workdays. He'd then asked if Nanao wanted the other two to remain, as he knew from personal experience that they were hard to get rid of when they were hung over. She'd willing let the short Taicho clear them all out of her apartment and had spent the rest of the morning being sick and sleeping on her bathroom floor. Then she'd dragged herself back to bed for the rest of the afternoon.

Overall it'd not been a good day, and she still felt weak and sick early Monday morning. Crawling out of bed, Nanao went about her morning routine and chugged water trying to re-hydrate her abused body. She was never doing shots again. Well, at least not until she forgot how horrible this felt and some other idiot talked her into it. Finally ready to head out, she had to physically stop herself from planning her day at the 8th. The Soutaicho had sent her further instructions, but they basically just said to go about forging bonds with the Rukongai however she thought was best. She'd decided the first thing she needed to do was pay a visit to her brother. Nanao had a feeling he wasn't going to love the idea, but he let her get away with so much she couldn't imagine he'd turn her away now.

Thirty minutes and a short stop at the 8th later, she was making her way out into a dusty training field in one of the lower districts. Shirtless men with lots of tattoos practiced hand to hand combat while her brother walked down the ranks. She stood discreetly at the side of the field and brushed her reiatsu against Mamoru's to let him know she was there. Mamoru turned away from the fight he'd been concentrating on and scanned the area quickly before spotting her. He called out a break for the men and made his way over.

"Don't you have work today?" he called cautiously as he came closer to her. She knew the way his mind worked and was well aware that he was silently asking her if Shunsui had done some new idiotic thing.

"I'm at work," she said with a smile, sidestepping the intended question.

"Oh?" he asked lifting an eyebrow and picking up a canteen from nearby. He took a swig and then asked, "How's that?"

"I've been removed from the 8th and appointed as the new Rukongai ambassador," she said lightly.

He spit his second swallow of water out and stared at her in shock. "You've what? What the hell does that mean?"

"It means the Gotei 13 wants to forge relations with the Yakuza," she said with a shrug.

"Hell no," he spat. "It means they want you to spy on us."

"I've made it perfectly clear that I intend to do nothing of the sort," she said using her sharpest fukutaicho tone. "The Soutaicho is well aware I have loyalties on both sides. He knows that's the only way this could possibly work."

"Nao-chan," her brother said shaking his head. "Are you nuts? Look, the Higurashi are nice to you as long as you're my baby sister and are just out for a few drinks and a good time. This is something else entirely. No one is going to trust you."

"Then I'll have to earn their trust," she said simply. "I'm the only one who has even the slightest chance of doing it."

"Being my blood relation isn't going to win you any favors in this," he said firmly. "Anything I do or say in regards to you will be suspect. Damn it, Nanao, if anything I'll have to stay further away from you so they don't start doubting my loyalty as well. This is a terrible idea."

"We need to have better relations," she said simply. "It can help both sides, and you know it. The shinigami don't have the man power or the time to police the Rukongai as well as the living world, and you all don't have the political power, money, or technology to back up everything you have the potential of achieving out here."

"Nao, this is a bad idea," he said again. "If they really want to do this, they should send someone else."

"Someone who you all will just freeze out from the start until they go away?" she asked sarcastically.

"Yes," he said honestly. "Nao, Yakuza and Shinigami just don't mix. You fight hollows and live on the edge of life and death. We control the afterlife and live deep in the muck of it."

"Well then I suppose I'm going to have to get dirty," she said with a shrug. "I just need an introduction to the kumicho."

"This is such a bad idea," Mamoru repeated. "They aren't going to trust you, and most of them aren't going to like you. You know for a fact that half the reason we have so many Higurashi family members with some reiatsu is because it is the only other option besides joining the academy. You're going to be walking right into the home of some of the biggest Shinigami haters, and it won't be a party where they either don't show up because they know you'll be there or just get rip roaring drunk and forget about you. This is their home, their work, they're not going to like it."

"It's my job," she said lightly, all the while knowing his points were valid. "No one said it would be easy. Beyond that, if the Higurashi won't have me then I'm sure another of the large families will. There are benefits to being allied with the Gotei 13."

Mamoru gave her a sharp look and, seeing the unwavering look she returned, sighed. "Alright, I'll try to get you an audience with the Kumicho to let you state your case, but I'm not promising it will be worth anything."

"That's all I was asking for," she said smiling at him lightly.

"Come on," he said, as he turned and moved back towards the men. "I'm almost done here anyway."

He called out a few more practice moves while Nanao stood on the sidelines and tried to ignore her ever present low grade headache. Perhaps Shunsui was right, she needed to get her drinking tolerance up. She mentally chastised herself as she instantly and unwilling wondered what he was doing right at that moment. Probably sleeping, she snorted to herself.

She'd popped into the 8th before coming here this morning just to clarify a few things with the squad. Nanao knew it wouldn't quash the rumors or even help that much, but she could at least try to set the record straight. She'd called a brief and impromptu meeting in the mess hall, which worked best as most of the squad had still been eating breakfast anyway. Then she explained that the Soutaicho had transferred her and it'd had nothing to do with her and Kyouraku Taicho's preferences. She'd also tried to make it clear that, while it was obvious her and Kyouraku's relationship wasn't faring well, it had nothing to do with the 8th, and she hoped that they could all keep open minds about their Taicho and now ex-fukutaicho. Matsumoto had joked once that telling their squad about a breakup would be like parents divorcing and telling the children, and she couldn't have been more right.

Perhaps the whole meeting had been a waste, but already by Sunday evening when Matsumoto had come by to check on her there had been rumors circulating that Shunsui had fired her so he could marry this new woman and make his unborn son or daughter fukutaicho. It made no sense, but Nanao had found over the years that a lack of sense didn't stop people from believing it. Shunsui was already having problems with some of the members that had decided to be angry with him on her behalf, and Nanao didn't think it would help the division any for them to think he'd been an even bigger ass to her. She'd made it quite clear that Shunsui had wanted her to stay, but the Soutaicho refused. The paperwork would still probably not get done, but at least her transfer wouldn't be what caused the 8th to dissolve into chaos.

She felt a hard flick on the bridge of her nose between her eyes and glared at her brother as she rubbed the spot. "What the hell was that for?"

"You were thinking too much again," he said with a shrug. "Probably about things that are best not thought about."

"Don't you mean people who are best not thought about?" she asked, continuing to glare at him.

"Same thing, baby sister," he replied with an easy grin. "Come on, the class is over, lets go see if the Kumicho will agree to make your life a living hell."

They arrived at the main house shortly thereafter, and Nanao was relieved that Mamoru was one of the few within the yakuza that could basically match her in shunpo. It made getting around so much easier. The house was an impressive one in the 5th district and was easy to pick out, as it looked more like it belonged in the 1st.

"I'm not promising you anything," Mamoru said almost a half hour later as he came back to stand next to her after he'd had a lengthy private conversation with the guards at the door.

"I just asked that you try, Mamoru-nii," she said sweetly.

"You are such a suck up," he said with a laugh and then reached up and stole the glasses off her face.

"Hey!" she yelled reaching for them. "Give those back!"

"You don't even need them," he teased, lifting them out of her reach and putting a hand on the top of her head when she tried to jump for them.

"Mamoru!" she yelled, taking a quick shunpo step to the right and getting frustrated when he matched her.

"Nao-chan," he mocked and laughed as he danced away from her lunge.

"Give them back," she threatened grinning as she moved towards him while bringing a kido spell up to glow around her hand.

"Make me," he replied and stuck out his tongue. "I'm not scared of your kido, baby sister."

"Oh, how about my zanpaktou then?" she asked reaching towards her sleeve, although she had no actual intention of drawing it.

"Don't know, I've never seen it," he replied smiling. "But it can't be very big if it's up your sleeve."

"Small, lithe, and deadly is more my style," she said advancing with an evil grin.

"Bring it," he said tucking her glasses into a pocket and reaching for his own sword hilt.

"The kumicho will see you now," a deep smiling voice interrupted. Nanao let the kido fade and dropped her hand away from her sleeve. She glanced over at her brother who just smiled innocently and made no move to return her glasses.

"After you," he said motioning her after the man at the door who had interrupted.

"You're a jerk," she said with a huff and then turned to follow the dark haired blue eyed man through the winding doors and hallways of the house.

"Runs in the family," he said with an easygoing smile as he walked carelessly beside her. "Besides those glasses make you look old."

"That's the point, idiot," she chastised.

"Oooo, insulting one of the kumicho's favorites," Mamoru said in mock seriousness. "That's never going to help you out here."

"Well he's obviously an idiot too if you're one of his favorites," Nanao joked.

"Oh, go back to the useless Gotei 13," her brother griped.

"I'd much rather stay here and take you to task," she teased back.

"We're here," the man said knocking on a door and shooting the two of them an amused smile.

The door was slid open to reveal an older burly man sitting on a dais with rough looking men and beautiful women surrounding him. He was reading over a scroll and didn't acknowledge them when they entered.

Mamoru started forward and bowed at an acceptable distance from the man. When the kumicho's eyes finally flickered up to rest on him momentarily, Mamoru gave her a formal introduction.

All eyes focused over on Nanao, and she straightened her shoulders under the scrutiny. The dark haired man still standing by the door jerked his head almost imperceptibly towards the dais when she glanced at him, and she moved forward to bow next to her brother.

The kumicho motioned both of them to have a seat and then asked what their business was. Nanao allowed her brother to introduce the basic premise, and then launched into her own explanation. She handed the scroll with the Soutaicho's signature and ambassador approval on it to a servant who carried it to the Kumicho and continued to speak about what she hopped to accomplish. Silence followed when she finished and she sat calmly, trying to be as still as possible.

"Interesting," the kumicho said sounding very uninterested. "Of course we'll cooperate with the Gotei 13 as best we can. I will assign you a guide to show you around and help you integrate yourself."

Nanao gave her thanks and bowed again while seated. She knew exactly what it actually meant, that the Higurashi would be pleasant and helpful, but as she suspected didn't actually plan on sharing anything in the way of actual information. She was going to have to convince them to trust her.

"I believe you are familiar with Kojima Shin," the kumicho said in a bored tone.

"Yes, sir," she said simply.

"He'll do," the kumicho said in what was obviously a dismissal. Her brother stood up instantly and she trailed behind. The dark haired man at the door smiled and slid the door open and then followed them out.

"I'll take her, Moru-kun," the man said easily. "He's my nephew after all."

"As you wish," Mamoru said with a smile. "Nao-chan this is Kei-san, Kei-san this is my sister."

"I've heard a lot about you," Kei said genially.

"Good things I hope," she replied.

"Mostly," Kei agreed.

"Mostly?" she asked raising an eyebrow, and then turning on her brother, "What have you been telling them?"

"That you're a touch stubborn, won't admit when you're in over you head, and make rather bad decisions when it comes to men," her brother said with an unconcerned shrug.

"Well I would presume the last is obvious considering I still hang out with you," she snapped back.

Kei laughed next to them and threw an arm around Nanao's shoulders, which she instantly and instinctively flinched away from. "Sorry, luv," he said, immediately removing the contact and hold his hands up in a peace making gesture.

"It's alright," she said immediately. "I'm sorry. I'm bad about personal space."

"Sounds like your brother when he first came here," Kei replied easily not looking offended that she didn't want him to touch her.

"Kei'll break you of that quickly," Mamoru said with a snort. "He's the biggest hugger I know."

"You should meet my friend Rangiku," Nanao said with a laugh. "She forces hugs on you whether you allow it or not."

"Human touch is a wonderful thing," Kei said with a shrug. "It'll heal most of what ails you."

"Kei is also a big believer in the power of love and human contact," her brother said with a snort. "Which really just means he's a man whore."

"You'd also like the Taicho I used to work with," she said simply.

"Which one is that?" Kei asked curiously.

"The 8th division," she replied following him back out of the house. "Kyouraku Shunsui."

"Ah, yes," Kei said happily. "I think I've met him out at the bars a few times. Seems like a nice guy."

"He is," she said, cutting her brother off before he could say anything. "So Shin-san is your nephew?"

"Yes," Kei said smiling. "He and his brother are my sister's kids."

"You don't look old enough to be his uncle," she said truthfully.

"You didn't tell me your sister was a flirt," Kei said winking at Mamoru.

"I didn't mean it like that," she defended blushing lightly.

"So you don't find me attractive then?" he asked inquisitively.

"I didn't mean it like that either," she said crossing her arms.

"So you do find me attractive?" he asked smiling.

"Uncle Kei," a voice called and they glanced over to spot Shin exiting a building. "Are you giving the Egamis a tough time?"

"Just the little one," Kei yelled back happily.

"Hello, Nanao-san," Shin greeting coming up to their group. He threw a smile Mamoru's way and then turned back to his uncle. "I'd be careful around the 'little one'. She's got a temper and the kido to back it up. What are you doing with my no good uncle?"

"The Kumicho told me to bring her to you," Kei said easily.

"Did he?" Shin asked raising his eyebrows and glancing over at Mamoru quickly who simply shrugged. "What about?"

Kei gave him a quick brief on what was happening, allowing Mamoru and Nanao to add things whenever they thought it was appropriate and then they all lapsed into silence.

"You realize no one is going to be very welcoming?" Shin asked finally.

"So I've been warned," she said shrugging. "It's beneficial to both sides though, and once I prove I'm trustworthy I think we will all find it to be a valuable exchange."

"Alright," Shin said shrugging. "If the kumicho says it's ok, then I guess it's ok. Come on, I'll show you around the medical facilities first since we happen to be here."

"Remember to drop by for dinner, Shin-kun" Kei said happily before clapping her brother on the shoulder and starting them both towards another building. "See you around Nanao-chan," he called over his shoulder.

"I hate that name," she said sharply after him.

"See you around Shinigami-chan," he corrected with a gallant over done bow.

"Don't mind him," Shin said with a laugh. "My uncle is an idiot. Come on then, off to new adventures."

* * *

It was one in the afternoon when Shunsui crept through the hallways of the 8th. Jyuushiro had happened to mention during lunch that payroll paperwork was due in signed today, and Shunsui had quickly realized that if he didn't get at least that paperwork done none of his division would get paid. He figured they were already mad enough at him that if he proceeded to blow of payroll they really would be outside his door with pitchforks and torches.

That didn't change the fact that he really wasn't in the mood to deal with all the nasty looks from his division members though. He distinctly remembered a time when many of the division hadn't liked Nanao very much at all, seeing as the young girl was always receiving obvious favoritism over more seasoned shinigami. Nanao had won them over slowly through hard work, dedication, and more often than not a very thick skin. The respect and love had been hard earned, and Shunsui was not surprised that the 8th's negative response to their troubled relationship had been so strong. He just didn't even want to know how they were taking her transfer. Frankly if he could just make it past the secretaries without them trying to castrate him with their eyes he'd consider it a job well done.

"Kyouraku Taicho." No such luck. He turned around to find all of his secretaries standing behind where he'd been crouched in the hall obviously having just come back from lunch.

"Ladies," he said giving them a gentlemanly bow as he stood up.

"You don't have to sneak around Taicho," one secretary said as they all started to brush by him. He was startled, but began to walk with them as they returned to the main office.

"Yeah, Ise fukutaicho stopped in this morning and explained everything," another woman supplied.

"Did she?" he asked cursing himself for not thinking she might. If he'd considered it he'd have slept in the office to try to catch her and talk to her.

"Yes, she said it was the Soutaicho's decision and you were against it," the first secretary said.

"She really didn't have to say that though," a different girl added. "Everyone in the 8th knows you'd never transfer her despite what you've done. I mean, who are you going to push the paperwork off onto now?"

Ok, so that comment had hurt a little, he thought with a wince. "I didn't want Nanao-chan here just for the paperwork," he defended.

"Well obviously not," the second girl twittered. "But once she wouldn't sleep with you anymore you'd obviously still want her around for at least that."

"Do you all really think that little of me?" he asked suddenly serious.

The women looked at him and then at each other in surprise. "We didn't mean any harm by it," the first secretary said bravely. "I mean that's just the way you are with women and work. Of course we're mad you did it to Ise fukutaicho. It'd have been better if you kept it outside the division like usual, but its not like we don't still like you. You're Kyouraku Taicho. It's always been this way."

"Ise fukutaicho kind of should have known better," the second secretary said with a shrug. "But don't worry, we all know you didn't have anything to do with her transfer."

"Right, great," he said depressed. "I'm just going to go into the office now." The women settled down at their desks and began chatting unconcernedly as they worked, and he shut the door behind him. Shunsui glanced around the empty office and sighed. He really had been trying to be better with the paperwork with Nanao. It just got to him that his own division, who'd seen them together all the time, really honestly thought he'd use her that way.

He settled down behind his desk and was about to search through the paperwork to find the payroll when he discovered it right on top. Nanao must have put it there on Friday before they'd left for the day knowing he would need it on Monday. He sighed and stared blankly at the form.

After a split second decision he sent his reiatsu seeking for her. He located her in the Rukongai and had to assume she'd already started in on the new job. All he could do was hope she would be safe and get bored quickly so he could talk Yama-jii into letting her come back. He had full plans to go and have a talk with his family tonight. Jyuushiro had convinced him to put it off for this long simply to keep himself from homicide.

He glanced around the office again and made a final decision. He was not going to let the 8th fall into shambles, and he was going to prove he hadn't wanted Nanao around just for the paperwork. He could damn well do it all himself, he'd just never had a reason to do so when Nanao did it all so well. Now if only he could figure out where she'd put all the pens.

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry the updates are a bit slower. I've been having some personal drama in my life and am hunting for a new apartment/roommate so it's been busy. Good news is I've at least gotten a bit re-inspired and am writing again. Thanks for sticking with me!**


	17. Girl Talk

The week had been a discouraging one. Everyone in the Higurashi family was civil and happy to help, but no one would take even a hesitant step beyond that. She was effectively getting the most polite cold shoulder that had ever been given. While Nanao had known it was going to happen, she had at least hoped that her previous acquaintances within the family would help the process along faster. She'd been decidedly wrong in that hope. Even Shin had taken on a slightly chillier demeanor, at least in his willingness to share.

Because of that, she was pleased it was Friday as she made her way out to the Rukongai. All the market sellers in the first were setting up their stands in the early morning air, and she waved to a few that she knew personally. A man exited his sake house and called a greeting to her by name, as she had often trailed behind her Taicho there if only to keep his spending reasonable. She waved back and thought about how her weekend was going to consist of a long bath and a good book and not much else. Pure bliss.

"Nanao-chan!" she heard from her right, and she whipped around half expecting to find Shunsui. Instead she saw Kei striding towards her.

"I thought I told you I hate that name," she said dryly.

"Right, I forgot," he said with a quicksilver grin. "My apologies Shinigami-chan."

"What are you doing in the 1st?" she asked, ignoring the stupid nickname as he matched her stride.

"Just out strolling," he said stuffing his hands in his pockets. "How's your first week been?"

"Fine," she said perfunctorily.

"Sounds like you're really enjoying yourself," he said with a laugh.

"Everyone has been very cooperative," she answered simply.

"But not very open," he countered with a knowing grin.

"I was warned," she said shrugging.

"You should come out with us tomorrow night, Shinigami-chan," he offered.

"Come out where?" she asked suspiciously.

"They're holding the fights," he explained.

"What does that entail?"

"It entails you not saying words like cooperative and entail and instead relaxing for a bit and enjoying the fun," he replied. "People will be much more open with you if you make them forget for a moment that you're working."

She glared at him and then sighed. "What fights?"

"Just battles of strength," he said. "A chance to show off really. It's when a lot of the family gets together and people have hand to hand matches. Lots of betting and drinking really. A good time overall."

"Sounds fun," she said insincerely. A lot of the divisions within the Gotei 13 had similar skirmishes several times a year, but the 8th had not really been one of them. Shunsui had always preferred drinking parties and games rather than displays of strength for bonding.

Kei laughed next to her and went to throw his arm around her shoulder before remembering she didn't like to be touched and stopping himself a moment before making contact. "Try it. You might surprise yourself and like it. Your brother might even participate in a match tomorrow which is always a treat."

"Is he good?" she asked finding herself instantly more interested.

"Very," Kei said with a smirk.

"I suppose I could."

"No hot date tomorrow night then?" he asked.

"I don't see how that is any of your business," she answered dryly.

"You're brother said you just got out of a relationship," he said with a shrug. "I guess I just figured it was time for you to be hitting the rebound stage."

"I'm not a rebound type of girl," she said frostily. At least she didn't think she was a rebound type of girl. She honestly wasn't sure, as she'd never had to decide whether or not to rebound before.

"Pity," he said casually. "There are plenty of men that would volunteer."

Nanao snorted at that. "They'd be volunteering for an ass kicking."

"The ex still hung up on you then?" Kei asked casually, and suddenly she didn't like how much personal information he was getting out of her.

"When's the fight?" she asked, bluntly switching the topic.

Kei merely chuckled and went along with her. "I'll tell my nephew to pick you up if you like. He knows where you live. Well, this is where I head off. See you later, Shinigami-chan."

"Until tomorrow Yakuza-kun," she said sourly.

"Hey!" he said as he started away. "I kind of like the sound of that."

Nanao just shook her head and continued on her way. She'd decided to spend some time in the Higurashi's medical facilities with Shin this morning and then see if he could find someone that would take her on rounds with them. She'd quickly discovered that each Yakuza family had a very distinct territory they controlled and that they constantly had men patrolling. The closest family to the Higurashi was the Sasakis and they had a mainly friendly rivalry that mirrored the relationship of many of the divisions within the Gotei 13. The difference seemed to be that at the end of the day, all the divisions of the Gotei 13 would be expected to work together in a crisis, whereas both Yakuzu families knew they would just as soon destroy each other if a war broke out between them.

She hadn't seen too much of her brother, but she figured he was probably doing that as much for her own protection as his. Snide comments had been muttered throughout the week, many of them aimed at Shin when he was with her. She was surprised to discover that all the teasing and hazing she had endured as a child and the gossiping she'd ignored as an adult had trained her well for the passive aggressive hostility. Shin himself had almost reamed one of his men when a particularly foul word had been used to describe her as they passed. She'd gotten them out of the situation quickly before Shin could react and make the family start whispering traitor behind his back. Being an ice princess had always been her specialty, and much like it had helped as she was working her way up the ranks it was again working to her advantage.

The rest of the day passed like all the ones before it, and she walked home debating the ways to integrate herself. She'd have to hand in a report the following Monday, detailing the week, and she didn't think the Soutaicho was going to appreciate her making no progress for long. Maybe the fights really were a good idea.

"Nanao-san, are you coming?" a female voice called as she ambled through the Seireitei.

"Kotetsu-san," Nanao greeted the short blonde woman.

"Aren't we going to be late?"

"Late for what?" Nanao asked.

"The SWA meeting," Kiyone said easily. "Didn't you hear that Yachiru called a last minute meeting?"

"No, I suppose I didn't get the memo," Nanao said darkly. Whenever she didn't know there was a meeting it meant that Yachiru had called it without her in the hopes of getting all the women to do something highly inappropriate that Nanao would no doubt quash before it began. "Shall we?"

Kiyone nodded nervously, hearing the danger in her tone, and bolted off for the meeting room. Nanao followed a step behind and sighed as her dreams of going home and straight to bed disappeared. Oh well, it'd be nice to see all the girls.

"Kiyone-chan, you're late," Rangiku shouted over the general ruckus as Kotetsu went in first and Nanao followed. "Nanao-chan, you're here too."

The room went silent quickly and Nanao scanned the guilty faces. There weren't any plans posted on the board or covert pictures spread out on the table so she didn't instantly surmise what they were up to. "Ladies," she greeted suspiciously.

"Hello Glasses," Yachiru greeted cheerfully. "You weren't supposed to come."

"So I gathered," Nanao said darkly.

"The ladies thought the subject of the dance may be a bit touchy," Unohana supplied calmly and honestly.

"The dance?" Nanao asked, honestly surprised. She hadn't thought about the thing in weeks. "I already know about the dance, why would I care? Unless you all are planning on making it clothing optional."

"Ooo can we do that?" Rangiku asked excitedly.

"No," Nanao snapped. "What is going on?"

We just thought you might not be going now, since you know," Isane put in nervously.

"No, I don't know," Nanao replied coldly.

"Well, you and Kyouraku Taicho broke up, right?" Rukia put in bravely. "And we didn't know if it'd still be held at the Kyouraku estate, so we thought we should maybe figure something out first."

Nanao caught on after that. "It's fine," she said lightly, trying to put everyone at ease, which was her Taicho's strength and definitely not hers. "Just because Kyouraku-san and I aren't together doesn't change anything. The dance is still on, and I haven't heard anything different from his mother. I'm sure she'd still be happy to host it."

"Is that really ok?" Isane asked softly.

"Can you think of a better place to hold it?" Nanao asked logically. "Everything is fine. Besides the dance is still a while away. No reason to worry about it now."

"You're so patient and understanding," Kiyone wailed suddenly. "How could he cheat on you?"

The room gave a collective wince and Nanao sighed. "I don't know, Kiyone-san," she said with a shrug. "Now do we still need to plan something? As I wasn't informed this was happening, I'm not entirely sure of the meeting's agenda."

"You're so brave hosting a party at your ex's," Kiyone cried, not letting the matter drop and wrapping her arms around Nanao's waist. She stiffened against the hysterical girl's hold and tried not to get annoyed. "Even Ukitake Taicho was terribly mad at him. I mean you're perfect for him, and then he was an idiot and went and slept with that girl! What was he thinking?"

"I'm sure I don't know," Nanao said attempting to be civil. She loved Jyuushiro, and his 3rd seats were occasionally amusing, but she had no idea how he put up with it all the time.

"He was thinking with the wrong head is all," Yachiru added pleasantly.

"He what?" Nanao asked shocked as all the older women turned to gape at the pink haired child.

"He was thinking with the wrong head," Yachiru repeated, happy to be the center of attention. "That's what Ken-chan said, although he didn't say which head was the wrong one. Does Pink man have two heads?"

The SWA breathed a collective sigh of relief as they realized that once again the child had no idea what she was talking about. Nanao was a touch disturbed that Zaraki had been commenting on her private life at all though. "It's probably just an expression," Unohana soothed quickly.

"She's got a point though," Matsumoto muttered.

"It is natural for men to seek more than one sexual partner," Nemu added tonelessly. "I do not understand why everyone is so confused."

"Nemu-san, how can you say that?" Kiyone demanded. "He was her boyfriend! He cheated on her and got another woman pregnant!"

"Hasn't he been sleeping with multiple women his entire life? He has not made a secret of it. I do not understand why you all expected this to be different," Nemu stated, obviously completely lost on why they'd all become so hostile.

"Because he told her it would be different," Rukia tried to explain. "He lied to Nanao-san."

"I still do not comprehend the confusion. Men often lie to fulfill their sexual needs," Nemu replied blinking.

"That's because men are scum," Soi Fon said bitterly. "They're basically like impulsive children only with a sex drive."

"They aren't all like that," Rukia defended. "Not all of them lie."

"That just means you're young enough to still believe them," Soi Fon glowered.

"Ukitake Taicho never lies!" Kiyone yelled, at last unwrapping herself from around Nanao. "He isn't at all like Kyouraku."

"If that is the case, and honesty is considered necessary to the relationship, then Nanao-san should go out with Ukitake Taicho instead," Nemu said logically. "You are both relatively close, are you not? Even with Ukitake Taicho's illness, a sexual encounter would not prove difficult to arrange between the two of you and more than likely would not have a detrimental effect on either one of your health."

"You wouldn't," Kiyone said, looking stricken. "Would you?"

"No, Kotetsu-san, I," Nanao started, wanting desperately to change the topic.

"Of course she wouldn't," Rangiku put in gleefully. "She needs someone that is going to be amazing in bed. I vote for Hisagi."

"Hey, Ukitake Taicho is amazing in bed!" Kiyone yelled.

"You know?" Isane asked her little sister shocked.

The girl blushed crimson and shook her head. "Not from personal experience. It's just that he's good at everything he does so it can be assumed!"

"Nah, he seems like the type to like gentle sex," Soi Fon said dismissively. There was a moment of silence as that comment was absorbed.

"What's wrong with gentle sex?" Isane asked blushing.

"It gets old," Rangiku said shrugging. "Sometimes you just want them to take you fast and furious up against a wall. Leave a few bruises, you know."

"Where are they taking you to?" Yachiru asked curiously.

"Paradise," Rangiku covered with a giggle.

"Sounds pansy," Yachiru said frowning.

"Ladies," Nanao said, trying to intercede.

"Against a wall seems so impersonal," Isane said thoughtfully.

"It can also end poorly," Unohana put in pleasantly. "You'd be surprised at the amount of injuries the 4th sees due to people attempting intimate positions they can't quite sustain. Things can be broken."

"Ooo, like what?" Rangiku demanded.

"Ran!" Nanao put in harshly. "Really not the time."

"I'm sure Ukitake Taicho could put you in the 4th too," Kiyone pouted.

"Yeah, from an overdose on sweet nothings and gentle petting," Soi Fon said rolling her eyes.

"Hey, you never know. He hangs out with Kyouraku after all. Maybe he's a freak in bed. A real sheet ripper," Rangiku supplied. Nanao was pretty sure she was going to have nightmares. "It's always the quiet ones."

"If he is taking cues from Kyouraku Taicho, would it not also stand to reason that he would be a cheater as well?" Nemu asked rationally.

"He's not a cheater!" Kiyone yelled.

"Basically it boils down to all men are bastards. Kyouraku especially," Soi Fon said dismissively.

"Regardless of all men," Rukia said trying to smooth out the situation. "Nanao-san can do much better than Kyouraku Taicho."

"Yes," Isane agreed. "You shouldn't even think about what he did."

"He'll probably die all alone with some horrible sexually transmitted disease," Kiyone comforted. "Well, maybe not alone as Ukitake Taicho would sit with him, but that's it!"

"I could put a hit out on him?" Yachiru offered.

"It'd be best to grind him and all men into the ground," Soi Fon agreed. "Who'd miss 'em anyway?" All of them looked up at Nanao anxiously, and she tried desperately not to show how upset she was.

"No hit, no fighting, no dating Ukitake-san, it's fine," Nanao said resolutely. "Was this meeting simply about the dance? Everything is on track. Kyouraku Taicho's mother is handling pretty much all of it, and I can check in with her to see how it's going. She was thrilled to hold the dance."

"Meaning she completely took over without being asked," Rangiku snorted.

"I'm sure it will be lovely," Nanao said calmly. "Hana-sama is very good at hosting parties. There is no need for any of you to worry."

"Meeting dismissed then," Yachiru said excitedly. "We're having game night in the 11th tonight. Got to go!"

The women quickly filed out of the room still arguing amongst themselves, and Nanao sat down in an abandoned chair tiredly.

"Nanao-chan, are you alright?" Rangiku asked scrutinizing her after the room emptied.

"Fine, why wouldn't I be?" she asked.

"Liar," Rangiku said plopping into the seat next to her. "They weren't trying to upset you. They're all on your side. Kyouraku's a bastard."

"Would you stop?" Nanao asked sharply. "He isn't a bastard."

"Nanao."

"He isn't anything they think he is. So he cheated on me and he screwed up, but really Nemu's right. He's always been this way. I was a moron for thinking it would be different."

"You can't possibly be blaming yourself for this!" Rangiku said darkly.

"I'm not. It's just that nothing has changed. He hasn't changed. He's still just himself, and I can't listen to everyone say horrible things about him when he isn't a bad man. He just can't be monogamous, and I should have known better."

"Nanao, he told you he would be," Rangiku said sadly.

"I know," she replied. "And it's awful, and I'm pissed at him, and I don't want him back, but I still love him. I know that sounds crazy, and I know I'm not supposed to, but he's part of me no matter how much I wish otherwise right now. He was my mentor, and my friend, and my family long before he was my lover. I can't just turn that off. I can't just hate him."

"Oh Nanao," Rangiku said quietly, pulling her into a hug.

"He's still Shunsui," she said pathetically.

"I know the feeling," Rangiku comforted, and they sat in silence for a few moments. "Why didn't you ever say anything bad to me about Gin after he left?"

"Because you loved him," Nanao said equally as softly. "And he loved you. I didn't know him very well, but I did believe that, Ran. Just because he didn't love the Gotei 13 doesn't mean he didn't love you. You can be a good man in some ways and not in others. He did what he felt he had to. The fact that you both were on opposite sides had nothing to do with that."

"I still don't hate him," Rangiku admitted slowly.

"You shouldn't, Ran," Nanao said returning the woman's comforting hug. Regardless of what the facts were, Nanao truly didn't believe Rangiku forcing herself to wallow in all the bad things Gin did to her would help anything, especially now that the man was dead. "He loved you and protected you for years. One bad moment doesn't erase all the good ones."

Rangiku had never said much about her childhood in the Rukongai. It was one of the reasons the two women had gotten along so well. They'd always operated under a strict don't ask, don't tell policy. Rangiku had always been an attractive girl though, and the lower districts of the Rukongai were no place for attractive girls. Nanao hadn't known Gin very well, and she'd not trusted what she did know of him, but she'd never doubted he'd loved Rangiku in the only way he was capable of loving. The handful of times she'd hung out with both of them, his affection had been quiet and unwavering.

One of those times had been when they'd all gone out to a bar together. Rangiku had been set on hooking her up with a 'fun' man as she put it and had been flitting all over the bar trying to introduce Nanao to potential suitors. She'd finally gotten into a drinking match with a group of men, and Nanao had been more than happy to be left alone at the bar with Gin. The man had been mostly quiet through the course of the evening and simply smiled tolerantly at all of Rangiku's antics. Nanao had been glad for the silent companionship.

It wasn't until the men started forgetting that Rangiku had come there on another man's arm that it started to become a problem. Jokes started up, slowly becoming raunchier and raunchier, and suddenly hands started straying where they weren't welcome. Gin had gamely let Rangiku handle herself and fend the men off as she chose until one particularly overzealous suitor called her a teasing bitch and tried to force her up against a wall and his tongue down her throat. Nanao had been on her feet in an instant, but it hadn't mattered as Gin had already thrown the man to the floor and made it clear that another attempt wouldn't be tolerated, always with that unnerving smile on his face. The troublemakers had quickly apologized and retreated to the other end of the bar.

They had decided to stay and relax a while longer, and shortly after some other shingiami that Rangiku knew had entered the bar. The night had progressed smoothly from there, and Nanao had finally decided it was safe for her to slip out the back unnoticed. She'd always humored her friend's failed attempts to set her up, but more often than not tried to get out of the whole situation as soon as humanly possible.

When she'd excused herself to the bathroom, she'd quickly made a detour for the back exit. Nanao had stepped into the night air and breathed a sigh of relief before she'd heard a noise and had turned her head sharply putting herself on the defensive. What she'd witnessed was Gin standing over the body of a dead man.

"Ise-san," he'd said lightly, the moonlight glowing eerily off his hair, smile, and sword.

"Ichimaru-san," she'd replied nodding formally.

"Going for a night walk?" he'd asked pleasantly.

"I was headed home," she'd said glancing again at the dead man. It was the same man who had harassed Rangiku earlier on in the evening.

"And now?" he'd asked passively.

"Now I suppose I'm still headed home," she'd said calmly.

"To your peace loving Taicho," he'd said with a grin. "I doubt he'd approve."

"He goes out to bars all the time," she'd said with a shrug, although she knew he was referencing the dead man. "I doubt he'll care."

"You don't share his peaceful ideals then?" Gin had asked calmly, cleaning the blood off his blade.

"He didn't grow up in the Rukongai," she'd stated, trying to forget her own history. "Sometimes the only answer is violence."

"Then you approve?" he'd asked raising an eyebrow.

"No, this situation was already diffused," she said firmly. "It was unnecessary."

"Then you'll report what you think you saw?" he'd asked seemingly indifferent.

"What's there to tell?" she'd questioned with a shrug. "I see a dead man in a dark alley. Happens all the time in this district."

"It'll probably happen again," he'd said simply.

"The world doesn't need men like that," she'd answered meeting his smiling eyes.

"Know from personal experience do ya?" he'd asked grinning wider.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she'd said, repressing the shiver his smile seemed to cause. "I'll be headed home now."

"Ise," he'd drawled calmly, and she stopped as she walked away, but didn't turn back to him. "Your Taicho definitely wouldn't approve."

"My Taicho isn't right about everything," she'd stated coldly, and then left.

She'd never told anyone what she'd seen, her Taicho most of all. When Gin had come to her years later and tried to recruit her to the third, she'd politely declined. Beyond his attachment to Rangiku, she'd never trusted the man. She was also well aware her Taicho didn't trust him either, and while Shunsui might not be right about everything, she'd had the feeling he was right about Gin. To this day she wondered if Gin had been trying to recruit her simply for his squad or for something bigger altogether. It was another thing she'd never shared with her friends.

"Are you really ok with the dance being at the Kyouraku estates?" Rangiku asked, finally pulling away from the embrace and tugging Nanao out of her memories.

"I don't even care about the dance," Nanao said honestly. "Its months away."

"But he's sure to be there, probably with that woman," Rangiku said. "She does live at his family's house right now doesn't she?"

"I don't know," Nanao said with a shrug. "It doesn't matter. It'll be fine."

"Everyone would hate him if you only asked," Rangiku said softly.

"Did everyone hating Gin help you?"

"No," Rangiku admitted.

"Then let's not waste everyone's time," Nanao said softly. "Come on, let's go back to my apartment. I'll make dinner."

"For real?" Rangiku asked excitedly, obviously allowing her to change the subject.

"Sure," Nanao said happily, standing up. "It's no fun cooking for one, and I'm sure Boo would love the extra attention."

"Can we bring more friends?"

"Like who?" Nanao asked suspiciously.

"I'm sure Hisagi would enjoy a home cooked meal," Rangiku replied wiggling her eyebrows.

"Would you leave off about Hisagi-san, you big idiot," Nanao said with a laugh moving towards the door.

"What? You're going to need a date to the dance," Rangiku defended. "Just because you don't hate him doesn't mean you can't make him jealous out of his mind."

"I'll think about it, but not tonight" she answered, knowing that simply saying no would get her nowhere. "Come on then, I'm hungry."

* * *

**A/N: I'm trying hard to keep my updates coming. Hope you liked it. Please review!**


	18. Brawls

"You're sure you want to come?" Shin asked again.

"For the last time, yes," Nanao said rigidly. "Why are you so against this?"

"It's just that it could get bad fast," Shin explained continuing to lead the way. "I still don't get why you're doing this. You should just take the job at the 13th like your brother suggested."

"I'm just going to watch some fights and try to be more integrated with the family," she said with a shrug. "You all need to calm down and stop worrying."

"Fine, whatever," Shin groaned. "I still say you'd be better off spending your weekends with the shinigami."

"You don't need to go in with me," Nanao snapped brushing past him, "if that's what you're worried about. I wouldn't want you to be known as the friend of a shinigami. Just tell me where its being held, and I'll go on my own."

"Hey," he said, keeping pace with her. "That's not the reason and you know it. Look, they're all going to be fired up from the fights and from drinking, and I just don't think it's the safest decision ever."

"Would all of you stop?" she demanded whirling on him in the street. "I'm not a little girl!"

"Nanao-san," he started to comfort.

"No!" she shouted really starting to lose it. "My entire life I've had my brother protecting me and then my Taicho protecting me, and as much as I appreciate the concern, I'm not an invalid. I don't need one more man telling me it isn't safe!"

"They were just trying to do what's best for you," Shin defended.

"What's best for me? My brother shipped me off to the Gotei 13 to keep me safe and left me wondering for years if he was alive or dead. My Taicho made sure I was smothered in sweetness since the day he took notice of me. Then I got promoted up the ranks quickly. I was qualified for every position, but I'm also not dumb enough to not know that a major motivating factor in making me a fukutaicho was to get me out of the field and safely into an office with a view and a crippling amount of paperwork. I saw more action when I was a fifth seat for kami sake. Then I finally find my brother again and he tries to force me to stay away from him, again for my own protection. That plan gets blown out of the water when Tanaka shows up and then he tells me I'd be safer leaving the Gotei 13 altogether. We all saw how that turned out. Then at the end I wind up with Mamoru trying to protect me from getting my heart broken, my Taicho trying to protect me from the entire world, and everything still goes to hell regardless."

"Nanao-san," he tried to interrupt, staring at her wide-eyed.

"I am physically exhausted from being sheltered," she said coldly. "And if you tell me that I shouldn't go tonight like a small child one more time, I am going to scream."

There was silence for a second and then Shin said, "This way." They walked quietly for a little while before he spoke up again. "Why'd you take the fukutaicho position if you knew it was just paperwork?"

She glanced at him sideways and then sighed. "He needed help, and I wanted to be promoted. I knew what it was, but I also knew I should never take such a high level position for security reasons. Tanaka had too much of a chance of hearing about me if I was a fukutaicho. The 8th's fukutaicho was the only one I knew wouldn't be sent on dangerous missions in the Rukongai or the living world. I knew I'd always be the small, quiet, slightly invisible paper pusher fading into the background. Not visible enough, even as a fukutaicho, for people to spread my name around or talk about me. It was the only compromise I could make between staying unnoticed by my father and still being an officer at the level I wanted. Besides, I was already half in love with him, I'd have done whatever he asked just to stay at his side, to have the right to protect him too."

"He's an ass," Shin put in confidently.

"No, just a womanizer," she sighed. "And I should have known better."

"If you just joined the Higurashi we wouldn't be having these problems," Shin said lightly. "I mean there would still be a few people that disliked you for having been a shinigami, but it'd be much better."

Nanao shook her head. "I like the shinigami. We're not perfect, but we do do good things. We help where others can't. I understand why people out here don't like us, but there are only so many souls we can protect. Our duty is first and foremost to the souls of the living and the dying, not the dead. The whole point of me being out here though is to try to start helping those souls we haven't been able to in the past. It's a worthy job."

"Just puts you in a shitty position," he said.

"I was the subordinate of the man I'd been in love with for a decade and sleeping with for a year and a half who then went and got another woman pregnant," Nanao said dryly. "This isn't nearly as shitty."

"Touché," he said with a small laugh. He turned down a back alley and had her stop at the edge of it while he went down to rap on a door. Something was said and he responded, then the door slid open, and he motioned for her to follow him inside. "We're just in time."

"In time for what?" she asked over the roar of voices.

"Mamoru's next," he said grinning and pointing over at the fighting ring in the middle of the din. She looked where he was pointing and saw her brother move gracefully into the ring playing to the riotous crowd. His opponent was a big burly man who also had loud supporters. "Come on," Shin said while taking a light hold on her wrist and starting to navigate them through the crowd.

She glanced away from the ring and spotted what Shin was moving towards. Kei sat front and center with two open spots next to him. He grinned and winked at her and she rolled her eyes back. She did have to admit it was impressive that he'd been able to maintain open seats as the crowd jostled and pushed around them.

"Thank you," she said giving Kei a slight bow of acknowledgement as she slipped into the seat next to him.

"Anything for a beautiful lady, Shinigami-chan," he said happily.

"So what are the rules?" she asked refocusing on her brother.

"Anything goes hand to hand combat," Kei said with a shrug. "No reiatsu based attacks or defenses allowed and hits below the belt are generally frowned upon."

"No reiatsu?" she asked looking back over at him.

"Not everyone here has got it, sweetheart," Kei replied smiling. "One of the only fair fights you'll find."

"Don't call me sweetheart," she growled and then turned back to the fighting ring.

The fight was not a particularly long one. Mostly it was strange to her because it wasn't performed at shunpo speeds. A lot of shinigami didn't favor kido so she'd watched more than enough sword and hand to hand combat fights without brilliant flashes of light, but she rarely saw a fight where at least some level of shunpo wasn't employed.

Dirty tactics mixed in with true fighting styles abounded and she winced in sympathy when her brother took a particularly hard elbow to the stomach. He rolled back with the punch, taking some of the force off it, and came around in a shuffling side step to pin his attacker's arm down. Mamoru's opponent broke free, but not without a good wrenching to his shoulder and shouts of encouragement and cries of anger swelled up from the crowd. The man tried to charge Mamoru, but her brother simply sidestepped him at the last minute and brought a vicious knee up into the man's chest using the man's own momentum against him to make the impact harder.

Nanao was on her feet with the rest of the crowd before she even realized it. Everyone was struggling to see if the man would get up from the latest hit. Her brother's opponent rose to his feet once more and went at Mamoru in a flurry of fists. Mamoru seemed to slip through the onslaught like water escaping from an open hand, and he used his attacker's fury to land shots of his own when they opened up.

"Do you know why people watch fights, Shinigami-chan?" a voice said quietly right next to her ear.

She jumped a bit and glanced sideways at Kei who had moved up to stand much too close in her personal space so as to be heard. "To find out who survives," Nanao replied. "To know who is the strongest and the fastest." Her eyes refocused on the fight in front of her as Mamoru dodged an attack and tripped the man up, delivering a precise blow to the back of his opponent's head while he stumbled to regain his balance.

A roar went up from the crowd and Kei's warm breath moved along her throat. She shivered and he chuckled. "That's part of it," he conceded. "And the other part is because it just feels good. The adrenaline and the joy of victory. No matter how cultured we become at the end of the day we all just really want to rip, and tear, and rut until we go out in a glorious haze of passion. Nothing besides maybe sex makes you feel better, gets your blood racing faster, than a fight."

The other man in the ring groaned as he tried to stagger to his feet and a silence flew over the crowd once more, everyone wondering if the fight might go on. Then the man collapsed and the people who'd placed their bets on Mamoru let out their own howls of victory, a few of his friends rushing the ring to congratulate him.

"So what are you good for Shinigami-chan, fucking or fighting?" Kei asked smiling lazily. Nanao turned a sharp glare on him and he didn't waver under the look. "From everything I've seen and heard so far I'd say your much better equipped for the former, but then again you have those vicious eyes."

"Nao?" her brother's voice called from behind her. She turned away from Kei and tried to forget he was there.

"Good fight, nii-san," she congratulated with a quick bow of her head.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded as he got out of the fighting ring and a man rushed in to clean the blood off the floor for the next fight.

"I just came to watch," she said giving him a smile. "Everyone said you were good."

"Leave now," Mamoru said frostily.

"What?"

"You need to leave right now," he repeated.

"Mamoru," she began, but was quickly interrupted.

"No need to be rude, Mamoru-kun," Kei said lazily having resumed his seat like nothing happened. "I invited her so it's fine."

"She shouldn't be here," Mamoru argued.

"I said it's fine," Kei replied waving a dismissive hand. "She needs to get more in touch with the family if she wants to work with us."

"I agree," she said. "I'm just trying to fit in a bit, nii-san."

"Whatever," he growled slamming himself down in the chair Shin had vacated to go place bets on the next fights. He winced as the action jarred his side.

"Want me to fix that?" Nanao asked while already reaching for his side. He caught her hand mid-air and held it there.

"It's fine," he said coolly. "Leave it be."

"That's stupid," she said frowning. "One little kido and you'll feel much better."

"It'll mend itself," he said, releasing her hand and brushing her concern off.

"We don't fix the little things out here, Shinigami-chan," Kei added helpfully. "Mark of pride and a fight fought with all you had to give. Life does not always hand you an easy fix. Sometimes you must bear with the pain."

"But that's idiotic when there is an easy fix that does no harm," she argued. "What's the point of walking around all beat up when you don't have to?"

"We don't have as many healers out here with as much free time as yours apparently have," Mamoru said lightly. "If we healed every little thing, some men would have to go untreated just due to lack of time. It would degrade to the point where only the rich and powerful could get themselves treated while those without as much money and influence would die unseen. If there's no possibility it's going to kill you, then you bear up and take it like a man. Besides it's tradition."

"Further proving the point that men are overgrown 6 year olds," she muttered, but didn't press him to accept her healing. She figured it was much like the 11th division and let it be. Kami knew how many times Unohana had had to politely force the entire 11th into the 4th for treatment.

"Did I miss anything?" Shin asked as he returned. "Good fight, Mamoru. Had a lot of money on you."

"Perfect timing," Kei said easily. "The next fight is just starting."

Nanao sat through the next three fights in rapt interest. It was brutal and animalistic and nothing near as fair as Kei had tried to imply. While there was no reiatsu based cheating allowed, more than a few dirty shots had gone by without reprimand. The crowed rose and fell in waves and Nanao found herself screaming along with the masses. One man's nose broke with a vicious hit, and Nanao discovered the downside of having such good seats as their yukutas got splattered with blood.

By the fourth fight a brawny woman entered the ring to a deafening roar. "Who's she?" Nanao asked leaning over to Kei.

"Born and raised in the 80th," he said grinning. "Best known as the Black Widow."

"Why?" Nanao asked watching the woman as she played to the crowed and flexed her muscles.

"Has the tendency to cut men's heads off if they get too much into her personal space," he said with a shrug. "It's why we can't let her fight guys in the ring anymore. To many accidents, if you know what I mean."

"So who's she fighting?" Nanao asked.

"Who knows? Whoever challenges her I suppose?" Kei said with a grin. Nanao turned to look back at the ring and saw the woman making her way towards them purposefully.

"Shinigami," the woman roared and the audience went silent as the whole room focused on her.

"You've got to be shitting me," Mamoru snarled at Kei next to her.

"Fight me," the woman demanded.

"Just came to watch actually," Nanao said calmly. "Maybe another night."

"Told you the little high class bitch wouldn't lower herself to our level," the woman announced to the crowd, and Nanao felt the hostility rise around her.

Really, it was the first time she'd been insulted by being called high class. "My apologies," she said trying to diffuse the situation. "I simply didn't come prepared to fight."

"You hear that?" the woman cackled. "Shinigami-chan needs to meditate and ask for permission before she can raise a fist." The audience laughed with her.

"Really integrating yourself well, luv," Kei said relaxed on the seat beside her. Her brother shifted disgruntled on her other side and Kei glanced over at him. "Nothing you can do will help her," Kei commented quietly.

"Look, we don't do a lot of hand to hand fights without kido being allowed," Nanao explained trying to keep her voice level.

"Told you they were all a bunch of magic using weaklings, couldn't hold their own against a pair of drunk old men, let alone the Higurashi," the woman yelled and a roar of encouragement backed her up. "We shouldn't even let the bitch breath the same air as us. If she's too good for us, let her crawl home." Another shriek of approval and Nanao realized this was going to get violent fast. Her brother's hand shifted to the hilt of the sword he'd put back on after his fight was over, and she knew that if she didn't do something he was going to protect her and it wasn't going to end well. They might get out of the mob alive, but he sure as hell wasn't ever going to be welcomed home again.

"Fucking or fighting, luv?" Kei asked coolly next to her making no movement whatsoever to help diffuse the situation.

She stood up jerkily and glared at her brother to make him sit still. The option was fighting one or fighting them all, and she wasn't about to let her brother go down for her mistake. "I'm not too good for anything. I grew up out here like the rest of you. No need to be jealous that I had enough talent to be a shinigami and the rest of you didn't," she said nastily. She was making a gamble, but she didn't think these people were going to respect anything besides full confidence.

A hiss rose up from the crowd and Kei let out a rumbling laugh. "Let's see what Shinigami-chan can do then, huh?"

The crowd howled its consent and she stiffened her shoulders as she started towards the ring. This was going to end badly. Nanao was well aware she wasn't prepared for this. She hadn't been in a serious hand to hand combat fight since her first couple years in the 8th. Kido masters didn't fight with brute strength and they certainly didn't when their Taichos made more than sure they always had enough space between themselves and the enemy.

"Sword, please," an old man said as she stood at the edge of the ring. He was already holding a huge mace, which she could only assume belonged to the woman in front of her. Feeling slightly like she was stripping in front of a crowd, Nanao reached up her sleeve and unstrapped her tanto, sheath and all. She felt her zanpakutou's displeasure at being removed ripple over her and she ignored the silent emotion. Her zanpakutou never spoke to her in the way she assumed others did from the talk she'd overheard. She could communicate with Kage just fine, but she'd never heard a voice to go along with it. It wasn't even telepathic communication really as it didn't seem like someone else was speaking in her mind. All Nanao had ever gotten were sentences as if spoken in a memory. Kage himself didn't seem to have a voice, as his words seemed to be her own thoughts in her own voice. All of a sudden she'd just know what her zanpaktou had said without him ever seeming to have truly said anything at all. Not that he was a big talker even then, which suited her just fine.

You can't win this alone, she heard in the same silent communication as always when she started to hand him over to the old man.

Doesn't really matter at this point, she thought back. Just have to survive.

We're good at that, Kage agreed silently, and then she released the hold on his hilt.

She entered the ring and tried to focus. Nanao quickly tried to assimilate all the fights she'd watched before this one to at least have a heads up on the dirty tactics that could be employed. She blocked out the crowd as it clashed against her and tried to steady her breathing. Her best bet was going to be moving defensively, slipping through the other woman's hits, and hoping to wear her out. It was really the only thing she'd practiced intensively, as her best bet in a fight was to slip away from the enemy and blast it with kido at a longer distance. It'd also always made the most sense with the length of her sword. She just wasn't prepared for close range fighting that didn't include an element of surprise.

The signal sounded for the fight to begin and she sidestepped as the woman dove straight for her. Her opponent changed directions more lithely than she'd expected and Nanao quickly found herself rolling out of the way of a particular vicious kick. They separated a few feet again as the woman reassessed her.

"Gonna run all night bitch?" she growled.

"Seems like a good tactic if you aren't fast enough to catch me," Nanao said with a bravado she certainly didn't feel. Kami, for all her bitching about not needing to be protected she sure as hell didn't have much to back up her claims to the contrary if her kido was taken out of the equation.

The woman lunged again and Nanao avoided once more. The dance continued for several minutes and Nanao could feel the crowd raging around her. They wanted blood on the floor and Nanao wasn't offering them any. Beyond that, this plan was going to wear out fast. The woman was toughened from everyday wear and tear. Nanao didn't think running her down was going to be any faster than running herself down too. She always completed the yearly physical assessment just fine, but the Gotei 13 had worked that one out so that the 4th could pass too. It wasn't particularly difficult and other than that her only real scheduled training was the kido classes she taught. Given those had ducking and running in them, but not a whole lot of fighting.

She moved too slow as she dodged again and took a hit to her side that sent her reeling to her hands and knees. The woman moved in quickly for a sloppy parting blow and Nanao twisted first, knocking the woman's legs out from under her and rolling to her feet. Her opponent scrambled to get up, and Nanao used the unsteadiness of the woman's half vertical state to get a good hold on her arm and complete a throw over her hip. The woman hit the ground hard, but rolled instantly and faster than Nanao expected.

She came to her feet and charged Nanao making her duck low and dance through her opponent's arms. Nanao slipped behind the woman, trying to get a good grip around her throat to squeeze off her air supply, but her adversary twisted like a trapped tiger and got a hard elbow back into Nanao's side. It dislodged her hold, driving her to the floor and the air straight out of her lungs. Nanao tried to gasp in pain and felt the fire in her lungs protest. The woman came at her again and she threw herself sideways desperately trying to reclaim some oxygen as she scrambled to her feet. Nanao saw the fist coming the moment before it made contact and tried to roll with it, but all the same felt the pounding impact on her temple and eye. Her vision explode in white and she quickly found the woman's meaty hand pinning her throat to the floor. Nanao instinctively grasped the arm and tried to force it away, but knew it was a lost cause as her already laboring lungs fought for relief.

Then suddenly the pressure was gone, and it took her a moment to realize the fight had been called.

She lay there for a moment and found Kei grinning down at her shortly. "Need help up, Shinigami-chan?" he asked reaching out a hand. She batted it away and dragged herself to her feet, wincing as it jarred her side.

The crowd was cheering around her as the woman did a little victory dance and pose and Nanao sighed. At least she didn't totally get her ass handed to her. The woman noticed she was up and instantly took a more defensive stance. Nanao simply bowed respectfully to the woman and headed back to the side of the ring. She was more than relieved to feel Kage back with her as the old man released the sword back into her care.

Kei followed close behind her whistling a little tune and she felt like blasting him with a good kido attack, but restrained herself. "You alright?" Mamoru asked darkly as she reclaimed the empty seat next to him.

"Fine," she said with a shrug.

"Let me see," Shin said reaching for her face.

"If no one else gets healing then neither do I," she replied fiercely pushing his reaching hands away.

"Shinigami-chan," Kei chastised as he flopped down next to her, his eyes sparkling like he'd just been told a great joke. "Nobody expects the same out of you."

"And that's the problem isn't it?" she snarled at him. "Wasn't that the point of this whole little fight? To show me that I don't belong here?"

"It was just a fight," Kei said with a shrug.

"I'm not going anywhere," she replied primly. "Not if I have to get my ass kicked multiple more times tonight."

"You were right about the stubborn," Kei called to Mamoru laughing. "I like it."

"Go screw yourself," Nanao said grumpily. She sat through the next five fights and took the ribbing from the yakuza around her with grace. Once again, the fact that she had been teased and harassed for years within the Gotei 13 came in handy. If nothing else she knew how to take a hit, verbal or physical, and keep her head up. She had to admit she was relieved though when the fights came to an end and everyone started heading for the exits. Her side was sore, her face throbbing, and the headache that had started up was going to be a doozy.

"If it helps, knocking her off her feet even once was more impressive than most people thought you would be," Kei said grinning as they stepped out into the night air.

"Give me kido, and I'll take you all out," she said levelly.

"That I don't doubt," he replied with a smirk. "Fighting from long range, it must feel so much safer. Bet your father would have preferred it too."

Something inside her snapped, and Mamoru had both of her arms pinned behind her instantly before she could do something she'd regret. "He's trying to get to you," he hissed.

"I don't care," she ground out.

"You do this, and it's done," Mamoru said, but released her arms all the same.

"What's it going to be Shinigami-chan?" Kei asked, calmly smiling over at her though the intelligent hostility shone through in his eyes. She had enough sense to notice the surrounding people's attention turning in their direction and she took a deep breath.

"I suppose I'll see you all on Monday," she said pleasantly, giving him a polite bow. "Thank you all for hosting me for the fights. It was truly an experience."

A few taunts were thrown out, but mostly everyone reverted to their previous drunken euphoria seeing the danger to one of their own had passed.

"I'll walk you home," Mamoru said.

"I'd rather you didn't," she replied. "I'll see you next week."

"Nao-chan," he said catching her wrist as she turned to go. "I warned you it wouldn't be easy."

"I know," she said, glancing over at where Kei and Shin stood conversing. "When did he suddenly become a bastard?"

Her brother laughed. "He's always been a bastard, it's just the first time he turned it on you. He's a lot like your Taicho, sees into people's hearts. He just doesn't feel the same need to coddle them that your Taicho does especially when they're not family."

"He's not my Taicho anymore," she said firmly.

"Am I allowed to say I told you so yet?" he asked lightly.

"Give it another week or two," she said shaking her head, but giving him a weak smile. "I'm going home."

"Sure you don't want me to walk you?" he asked.

"And give them another thing to tease the Shinigami-chan about?" she asked rhetorically. "No thank you."

The both said their goodbyes and Nanao started shunpoing home. Each step jarred her side and she contemplated healing it on her own. It wasn't like they'd even be able to tell she'd done it if she left the black eye that she was sure was currently forming. She'd see how bad it was in the morning.

He's not going to come anymore, she heard a wordless voice state matter of factly.

I didn't expect him to, she replied mentally not needing to be told who he referred to.

Yes you did.

Kyouraku Taicho didn't even know I was attending the fights, why in the world would I have expected him to come? she asked stopping to be identified at the Seireitei gates.

Because he always has before, regardless of whether he was supposed to know where you were or not, Kage answered silently.

I'm not a little girl. I can take care of myself, she thought fiercely.

You allowed him to take care of you, Kage replied simply. You made yourself weak willingly, and now he's not going to come anymore.

"Shut up," she replied morosely out loud, moving slower now that she was inside the Seireitei. Her fellow shinigami did like to drink, and there were always run in accidents with shinigami trying to shunpo home drunk on the weekends. She'd had to pick up her Taicho from the 4th for a few over the years.

We don't have to be weak.

We could also get locked up in a prison cell with no chance of parole, she snapped not in the mood to start an age old argument with her zanpaktou.

As you wish, her blade said, and she felt his presence recede from her mind.

She sighed as she touched down in front of her door. Nanao undid the locks quickly and opened the door only to find she'd left a light on when she'd headed out earlier that evening. Cursing at that stupidity, she kicked her shoes of in the entrance and wondered where Boo had gotten off too. He was usually front and center waiting to greet her when she got home. She wandered into the apartment and nearly screamed when she noticed a woman sitting primly on her couch.

"Oh Nanao-san," Hana said pleasantly. "You're back."

"Kyouraku-dono?" she asked, trying to get over her initial shock. The woman sat on her couch with her attention-hogging cat draped over her legs purring contentedly as the woman stroked his back. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you of course," the woman said smiling calmly. "What else would I be doing here?"

"How did you get in here?" Nanao asked.

"Simple," Hana replied cocking her head to one side quizzically in an action that reminded her so much of Shunsui it physically hurt. "I have the key."

"Why do you have the key to my apartment?" Nanao demanded feeling exhausted by this whole night.

"I had one of the servants borrow yours and make a copy the first time you stayed with us dear," Hana said as if it was completely normal. "The best way to know what type of person someone is is by perusing their home without their knowledge."

"Did you break into my house to check out if I was an appropriate girlfriend?" she asked trying not to scream. Why was Shunsui's entire family batshit crazy?

"Of course, darling," Hana said with a shrug. "You passed wonderfully. Although I have always wanted to ask you about the catsuit in your closet."

"It was for Halloween one year," Nanao said with a blush. "Matsumoto and I had duty in the living world and had to blend in."

"Halloween?" his mother asked raising an eyebrow. Nanao groaned internally, how was she supposed to explain the holiday to a woman that probably never went to the living world and hadn't had to deal with a great deal of the Western influences that Japan had been exposed to over the years. Given all she'd have to do is visit the 8th to be exposed to them all. Shunsui always liked a party and tended to adopt whatever new holiday came along at least within the division. She'd refused to dress up for the 8th's Halloween parties much to his disappointment.

"It's a living holiday that's gotten more popular in the recent years. Sort of like obon only sillier and people dress up in costumes," Nanao explained with a sigh.

"Interesting," his mother said thoughtfully. "I think I would like this Halloween."

"Your son holds a party every year," Nanao said lightly. "Just go to the 8th on October 31st."

"Speaking of my son," Hana started, and Nanao sighed. God she just wanted to go to bed. "Has he seen that yet?" Hana asked tapping her own eye to express what she was asking about.

"No, just got it," Nanao answered.

"You really should heal it before he does, dear," Hana said lightly. "He's going to have a fit."

"It's fine," Nanao said brushing it off. "He probably won't see it anyway," she added bitterly when she thought again about the fact that his family had had her forcefully transferred. Not that she minded so very much, but it was the principle of the thing.

His mother sighed lightly. "Aren't you going to offer me some tea?" she asked after a moment of awkward silence.

Nanao rolled her eyes. "Sorry, my first instinct isn't to be a good hostess when someone _breaks_ into my home."

"A good hostess is always prepared," Hana said mocking a teacher's voice. "Some tea would be wonderful."

Nanao wanted to refuse, but knew better. With the Kyourakus it was easier just to hear them out, because if you told them no they'd just get crazier and try harder until you cracked. Boo jumped gracefully out of the woman's lap and followed Nanao into the kitchen, meowing and sitting down next to his empty food bowl.

"Traitor," she chastised as she dumped some food out for him. He just looked up at her and then yawned and started in on his dinner. Nanao made the tea, and the familiar process was calming. Her injuries were starting to hurt in a dull consistent way that made her ache for bed. Instead, she put the tea and cups on a platter and headed back out to her living room only to find Hana examining her bookcase. She set the tray down on the low table, and Hana turned at the noise.

"Love poetry?" his mother asked holding up a thin novel.

"A gift," Nanao explained, but didn't add from Shunsui since she assumed his mother knew anyway.

"Hmm," Hana agreed and slid the novel back into place coming back to the table. "I wanted to speak with you about this thing with Shunsui."

"I assumed as much," Nanao said coldly. "It's not like we've been social in other respects."

"First of all I'd like to apologize for the consequences it's had on your career," she said softly. "I know that was very important to you."

"Did you do it?" Nanao demanded quietly.

"My husband," Hana admitted calmly. "But I don't believe he was entirely wrong in this respect."

"Neither of you should have had any say in the matter," Nanao said coldly. "I was good at my job."

"I know," Hana said soothingly. "If it makes you feel better it worked Shunsui into one of the biggest tantrums I've seen in a while. But really, did you want to continue to work in that environment? If you're going to let him go, then you have to completely sever your ties. Staying in that office only gave him daily access to you, and my son does have a way of wearing people down. It's better like this."

"I should be the one to decide what's best for me, not you," Nanao stated firmly. "If you've simply come to talk about the job it's already done. There's nothing left to say."

"I've come to talk to you about marrying Shunsui," Hana said taking a sip of her tea.

"You mean me marrying Shunsui?" Nanao asked to clarify as the comment had thrown her off balance.

"That would be what I said," Hana replied.

"Did you forget the whole, another girl is pregnant with his child thing?" Nanao asked lifting an eyebrow.

"Of course not," Hana dismissed. "Now you're being as silly as Shunsui. The fact of the matter is, I've talked it over with Kiyoko-chan and we both agree that it would work out just fine if you married him and she remained his consort. That way your children would still inherit, and if you chose not to have children the Kyouraku line is taken care of through Kiyoko-chan. It's really the perfect solution. You and Shunsui get to have a love marriage, my son is happy, you may maintain your focus on your career, and Kiyoko will be a legitimate member of the family who can produce heirs and manage the household as she's been raised to do."

Nanao just stared at her. Then she took an extra few minutes and stared at her some more while she tried to work her mind around what had just been said. "Are you insane?" she finally asked.

"Not at all," Hana replied looking vaguely insulted, and then her face softened. "Perhaps I should have eased you into it more. I forget sometimes that you were not raised as a noble. This solution is perfectly acceptable. No one is going to raise any outcry over it, and Kiyoko is more than happy with the situation. She'd genuinely like for the two of you to be friends. She wasn't aware Shunsui was seeing anyone when it happened."

"Did Shunsui put you both up to this?" Nanao asked quietly.

"Shunsui would be quite upset if he knew I was here," Hana said with a laugh. "During his tirade after having you removed from the 8th, he expressly forbid his father and myself from meddling in his affairs or going within a five feet radius of you."

Well, that was one less person she needed to kill tonight, Nanao thought wearily. "I refuse," Nanao said, wanting to end the conversation and forget that it had ever happened. "I understand that you both are trying to help, but I absolutely won't accept being second best in my own marriage."

"But it'd be Kiyoko-chan who'd be accepting second best," his mother replied confused. "We are all well aware Shunsui's heart belongs to you."

"It's not enough," Nanao answered. "Because one day there is going to be a man who's whole being, mind, body, soul, and heart will belong to me and me to him, and I won't accept anything less. Shunsui obviously can't provide me that."

His mother let out a tinkling laugh. "Darling, no man can provide you that. I forget how young and idealistic you are. Kami, no wonder Shunsui's desperate over you. One minute you're the picture of grace, intelligence and maturity, and the next you might as well be a child princess that's been coddled and fed fairy tales all her life. You fit him beautifully."

"I won't marry him," she said, crossing her arms and refusing to acknowledge yet another wound to her pride for the evening.

"As you wish," Hana said, still smiling brightly. "It'd really be much easier if you'd just give in now though. Kiyoko-chan will be miserable in her state of limbo until he finally convinces you to marry him and gets things set right. It'd be so much easier if she could just proudly claim first consort status and her child made legitimate in one swoop."

"He should marry her then," Nanao said.

"As long as you're near and somewhat available, child, I don't think he can," Hana said. "Young people, always making things so complicated."

"And you'd be fine with your husband having a concubine?" Nanao asked coldly.

"It be better than the whores he attends to now," Hana said with a shrug. The shock must have shown on Nanao's face, because Hana laughed again. "We weren't a love match, Ise-san. I was married to continue the Kyouraku line and rejuvenate the reiatsu levels within it, which I have done quite well. I keep my household running, my husband happy, my boys safe, and I am satisfied. If my husband needs to sleep with a few other women to get his fill what does it matter to me? Sex is just sex. I have all the important parts of him. Besides my own father had a wife and three consorts. It worked out just fine."

"I can't accept that," Nanao said finally.

"Pity," Hana replied. "Well then, I should be going. Thank you for the tea."

"Of course," Nanao said standing and walking her to the door. Hana slipped her shoes on and bowed politely which Nanao returned.

"Do get someone to take a look at that eye," Hana suggested. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Kyouraku-dono," Nanao said. She shut the door and breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully that was the closing conversation she had to have with Shunsui's family. Whoever knew that breaking up meant doing it with so many people?

A meow broke her out of her reverie. "Oh don't you dare start, you traitor," Nanao said to the cat as she moved away from her door. "You could have warned me."

Boo just looked at her like she was crazy and stalked off through the house. "What am I going to do?" she sighed to no one and about nothing in particular.

You're going to get stronger, Kage stated coldly.

"I suppose I'm going to have to," she replied to her zanpakutou outloud, carefully brushing her fingertips over her throbbing eye. "Now who to ask for help?"

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry if there are errors. It's a long chapter and I only had time to edit it once. Girl's got to get up early for work tomorrow morning :) Hopefully it's not too bad.**

**Reviews please!**


	19. The Help

"Show her in," he said, hiding the curiosity he felt.

"Yes, Kuchiki Taicho," the little secretary said formally and hurried out.

A moment later the door opened and Ise Nanao entered. He looked the woman over for any sign as to why she'd requested a meeting with him, but besides a black eye, was met with only stoic professionalism. Not that he expected anything else out of her. He'd always approved of Kyouraku's young fukutaicho. If she'd ever come asking for a position he'd have taken her on himself. He'd been more than happy to help her years ago when she'd asked for advice on how to block her Taicho out when he tried to read her reiatsu against her will. She'd been a quick learner and not a bad hand at calligraphy, which she'd used as a cover for spending time with him.

"Kuchiki Taicho," she bowed respectfully. "Thank you for meeting with me on such short notice."

"It's not a problem, Ambassador Ise," he replied formally. He saw her blink at the form of address and inwardly smiled that she still hadn't been able to adjust to her new position. From his distant observations of her, she definitely was a creature of habit. She must be more than unbalanced in her new post. "How can I help you?"

"You trained with Shihoin Yoruichi, did you not, sir?" she asked getting directly to the point.

"Not specifically with her, but we grew up together, yes," he answered wondering where this was going.

"I have found myself lacking in various areas of expertise over the past couple weeks," Ise admitted grudgingly. "My tenure at the 8th didn't provide me with many outlets to improve any skills beyond my administrative ones. Mostly I used kido in the field, but hardly require much more guidance in that area of my life."

He carefully concealed any shock that would have shown through on his features. Ise Nanao was many things, but a humble woman meekly admitting faults and asking for help had never been something he'd attributed to her. It was well known that she didn't operate in the capacity that many other fukutaichos did. He himself had sent Renji out on several missions he wasn't entirely sure the boy would come back from. It was no shock that Kyouraku Shunsui was unwilling to do the same. The girl couldn't possibly know how many times Kyouraku had maneuvered to get her out of dangerous missions during Taicho meetings and such. Byakuya had always assumed she didn't have much drive beyond keeping to her Taicho's side and maintaining the 8th. Not that keeping the 8th running was a simple task either. Byakuya had to repress a shudder at imagining keeping that unruly drunken division in line. He refocused as she continued talking.

"I was hoping that you may have some free time to help me with my shunpo," she finished simply.

"Your shunpo is sufficiently within the range of a fukutaicho," he said calmly. "What is the problem with it? Does the yakuza family often employ that method of travel?"

"No, sir," she answered honestly. "I am more than likely equal to or faster than any member of the Higurashi."

"Then the problem is?" he asked.

"I have discovered lately that I have allowed myself to languish in a sort of mediocre stage," she said tightly. "I did not have a very good father, as you are probably aware, but he was very good at business. He told me once, never be content. If you become content you become complacent. While normally I ignore all of my father's advice, I don't think he was wrong in that assessment. I believe I have become complacent, and would like to rectify the situation."

"Interesting," Byakuya commented lightly. He'd already made up his mind to help the girl, if only because it'd drive Kyouraku mad. He was well aware that Kyouraku was the one who had encouraged Yachiru's fascination with him as retaliation for teaching Ise to block the nosey Taicho out, and Byakuya was more than happy to get a little revenge through the woman. Kyouraku certainly didn't like anyone else playing with his 'Nanao-chan'. Besides, it'd be good for the girl to start supporting herself more. That being said, he didn't have to make it easy on her. "My division requires much of my time, Ambassador Ise."

"I understand," she said bowing. "I had thought to come to you first as you were closer in proximity, but it makes more sense to go directly to the source. Shihoin Yoruichi would probably have more free time as well, though it will be a pain to cross between worlds. Thank you for your time, sir."

Clever little thing, he thought with an internal smirk. Many people knew of his and Yoruichi's competitive streak. She clearly thought implying Yoruichi was better than him would goad him into action. In truth, it did have some effect, but he highly doubted the Soutaicho would allow her to travel between worlds daily for a little training, and he said as much.

"You may be right sir," she said bowing her head in acknowledgment. "In which case, I shall simply ask Soi Fon Taicho. She was Yoruichi's student after all, and I had already planned on asking for her help with hand-to-hand combat. Soi Fon Taicho is such an organized and disciplined woman, I'm sure she'll be able to manage her division and the slight extra burden I present."

And now veiled insults. How in the world did a man like Kyouraku deal with the twisty little woman? Obviously by playing her game. Kyouraku was so fond of games after all. It must have frustrated her to no ends to be constantly thwarted by the pink clad man. Byakuya could appreciate the feeling. He considered refusing her again while making a comment on her being more than a slight burden, but decided that it would be simpler to let the woman win. Especially since she wasn't the one he would take the pleasure in punishing.

"It would be wrong of me to overburden my colleague further," he said tiredly. "I suppose I can find time to help with your shunpo, but if you are slow to learn I cannot promise how long the lessons will continue."

"Of course," she said quickly. "I will not waste your time. Thank you, sir."

"We will begin tomorrow after the regular work day," he stated, not caring if the time worked for her.

"Yes, sir," she agreed lightly, bowing and heading for the door.

"Oh and Ambassador Ise," he called as she reached the door. "If you're late I'm afraid I won't be able to wait around."

"I won't be, sir," she said calmly. "And I would prefer Ise-san or Nanao-san, if you don't mind."

"As you wish, Ise-san," he said simply. She exited and he took the moment to lean back in his chair and smile. Maybe he'd lead her on a chase past wherever Kyouraku happened to be. Then he'd stop to physically correct her form in front of the overprotective Taicho. Yes, he was going to enjoy this immensely. Kyouraku should have never sent that little pink haired monster after him.

* * *

"Send her in," she said disgruntled. She really didn't like being disturbed during her morning training session. The subordinate hurried away and she tsked at how pathetically scared he was.

"Soi Fon Taicho," Ise Nanao greeted a few minutes later.

"What do you need Ise?" she asked, not bothering to look away from the men currently moving through their exercise motions.

"I was hoping you could help me out on a small endeavor," Ise said firmly.

Soi Fon finally turned to look at her and quirked an eyebrow at the black and blue mark radiating out from her eye. "And what endeavor would that be?"

"I require more training in hand to hand combat and the martial arts," the woman said firmly.

"Obviously," Soi Fon said glancing again at her eye. "Why is that my problem?"

"It isn't," Ise replied, "but I was hoping there may be room in some of the training classes the 2nd division members participate in. The Soutaicho made it clear to me, that while I don't have a particular division, I am free to seek help wherever it may be found."

"2nd division training is for 2nd division members," Soi Fon replied unconcerned. The bookworm was just fine in the SWA, but it wasn't like they were friends, and it wasn't like she thought the girl had any real potential.

"Perhaps you would have some free time to train with me then?" Ise pushed. "As it stands I've made a complete mockery of the shinigami training and the yakuza are going to be even more belligerent in the Rukongai."

"Then I will put them in their place the next time I'm out there," Soi Fon said dismissively.

"It won't matter," Ise countered. "I'm the representative the Gotei 13 chose to send. As far as they are concerned, I'm the measure of all shinigami. And how often do Taichos really go into the Rukongai? It is going to be our men, most much weaker than myself, who are going to feel the heat."

"Then our men will get stronger," Soi Fon said with a shrug.

"They're laughing at us," Ise replied equally as coolly, "and without proper training there is nothing I can do about it."

"Use kido," Soi Fon suggested bored.

"Against their rules," Ise said.

"Ask someone else," Soi Fon answered.

"There is no one better than you to ask," Ise said and went in for the kill. "Look, I know you don't want to help me, but please take a moment to consider. Kyouraku Taicho brought me up, protected me, made sure that I was always safe, and now I'm alone. I don't know what else to do."

Soi Fon felt her heart ache with an old wound. More often then not she tried to ignore the still dull pain, but she knew what if felt like to be discarded by a mentor, and her and Shihoin Yoruichi hadn't even been lovers. She glanced again at the girl and the rigid way she held herself. Regardless of the fact that she didn't know much about Ise, and had always assumed her to be a bit of a masochist for sticking with Kyouraku, she had always respected the woman's understanding of privacy. Ise didn't share and Soi Fon didn't want to know. For her to say what she'd just said had cost her something.

The dark haired woman sighed. "I will see if Komamura Taicho has time to help me. Thank you for your consideration."

"Ise," Soi Fon said, stopping her before she fully turned to go. "Level 3 classes begin at 8 AM Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Can you handle that level to start?"

"I believe so, yes," Ise replied.

"You will not be given special treatment," Soi Fon clarified.

"I would be less than pleased if I was," Ise said sincerely.

Soi Fon gave her a curt nod and turned back to her men. Maybe she could teach Ise enough that she'd go out and kick her ex-Taicho's ass herself. That'd be fun to watch.

* * *

"Who?" Kenpachi demanded irritated. "Whatever, you deal with it. I've got things to do." He picked up a bottle that had been abandoned on his desk and walked out of the office the back way.

Ikkaku sighed. He hated dealing with office duties. Not that there was anyone in the 11th who liked them. He walked back out and down the hall to his own office. Ise was sitting in the chair next to his desk where he'd left her. She lifted her head to look at him as he approached, and he wondered again what Kyouraku found so fascinating about her. She was a petite thing, didn't look like she had much muscle on her at all, and with the glasses and the strict updo she didn't seem like she'd be a whole lot of fun. He certainly had no interest in inviting her to his bed. He wondered again where she'd managed to pick up the shiner. Maybe she tripped and fell or something.

"Kenpachi Taicho is out. What do you want?" he asked.

"Should I come back later?" she asked politely.

"Naw, he'll still have me deal with it. So?" he asked, stretching lazily.

"I was hoping to join your endurance training," she said calmly.

Ikkaku started laughing, but quickly realized the woman was serious. "You want to train with us?" he questioned shocked.

"Yes, if possible," Ise said seriously. "The 11th is well known for its hard endurance training."

"You wouldn't be able to keep up," Ikkaku said honestly. "Does the 8th even do training?"

"Of course," she said looking offended for a moment, but quickly controlling it. On the other hand, it'd probably be fun to make her lose that control. Maybe that's what Kyouraku liked. Ikkaku wondered briefly if she was a filthy talker in bed. "I realize my training has in no way prepared me for this, but I'm willing to work my way up."

"Do whatever you want," Ikkaku said with a shrug. At least it'd give him and the boys a laugh for a little while.

"So it's fine?" she asked looking confused.

"Sure, not like Taicho is a stickler for rules. Show up at five every morning, but don't expect anyone to wait for you," he said.

"I'll be there," she said firmly.

"Great," he said sarcastically, flopping back down into his own chair.

She stood up and headed for the door and then paused. "Also, I didn't mean to be nosey, but you've made a mathematical error in the 5th column of the form you're working on. If you don't fix it now all the proceeding documents will be incorrect."

He glanced down at the form, and it took him a moment to locate the mistake. She was right, and had probably just saved him about three hours of redoing work and trying to figure out where it'd all gone wrong. Ikkaku glanced up in surprise, but the woman had already slipped out the door and down the hall. Damn, he thought looking back down at the form, if she caught that so easily Kyouraku was a damn fool. Losing someone that good at paperwork must have been a blow.

* * *

The knock at his door broke him out of his reverie. "Yes?" he called.

Ise Nanao stuck her head in and he stumbled in his haste to stand up. "Hisagi Taicho," she greeted formally. "Sorry to interrupt you, but I couldn't seem to find anyone to come and announce my presence."

"No need to apologize," he said with a grin. "Most everyone is out to lunch. Come on in." He moved quickly around his desk to move the stack of papers that had piled up on the only other seat in the room. She sat down gracefully and he went back to his own chair. "So what brings you here?"

"I was hoping you could help me," she said earnestly.

"I'll try my best," he said, "but if it's talking Matsumoto out of something I can assure you she doesn't listen to me."

That got a smile out of her, and he glimpsed again the woman that wasn't all business. He liked that woman quite a bit. He wouldn't necessarily call it a crush, but he did like the little he'd seen of her relaxing, and he certainly wouldn't mind her crawling into his lap the next time she'd drank too much. Well besides the imminent death that would follow. Kyouraku had thrown him a less than pleasant look at the Taicho meeting last week.

"Unfortunately no one seems to be able to talk Matsumoto out of anything," Nanao replied, instantly more comfortable. "I'd have a far less ridiculous wardrobe if it could be done."

He laughed and leaned back in his chair. "And I'd have a healthier liver," he agreed. "Though far less entertaining stories to tell."

He was rewarded with a small smile. "No, it's not about Matsumoto. Actually I was hoping you might help me practice some swordplay a few days a week."

Shuuhei raised any eyebrow and asked, "Does this have something to do with the black eye you're sporting?"

"A bit," she admitted ruefully. "I got thoroughly trounced in a fight. Let's just say it beat a little humility into me, and I don't like it one bit. I've been out of the field for so long I'd almost forgot that sometimes you need things other than kido."

"I'd be happy to help," he said, and then sighed. "I just need to figure out a time. Maybe after work?"

"I have shunpo lessons," she said, blushing slightly in embarrassment. Well, if Rangiku was right the woman didn't know how to do things by half.

"Before work?" he asked.

"Training with the 11th," she said.

"Ouch," he said with a grimace. She must be set on killing herself. "Well I don't have much time during the day. Maybe lunch a few days a week?"

"That'd be perfect," she agreed. "I'd be more than happy to bring you lunch in return."

"You really don't have to," he said smiling at the offer.

"I'd like to," she said earnestly. "You'd be doing me a great favor. I'm not too bad of a cook."

"Your choice," he said shrugging. "I'll do it regardless."

"Thank you so much Hisagi Taicho," she said standing up and giving him a slight bow.

"Hisagi or Shuuhei is perfectly fine, Nanao-san," he said. "Once I've passed out in your living room you have the right to call me by a more familiar name."

"Hisagi-san," she corrected. "Shall we start tomorrow?"

"Sure," he agreed. She turned to head for the door and he called out to stop her. Ise turned back and he smiled. "I do enjoy onigiri if you're so inclined to make it."

She just smiled and slipped out the door. It was dangerous what he was doing. He was sure Kyouraku wouldn't be pleased when he found out, but frankly the man didn't really have the right to dictate her life anymore. He remembered how helpful staying busy had been after Tosen's betrayal. If he could offer her even that small piece of comfort he'd be damned if he wouldn't. In the end, he was just glad to get the chance to know her better without Matsumoto shoving them at each other. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and turned back to his paperwork. Tomorrow would come soon enough.

* * *

**A/N: Yay for Nanao! I think only one or two people guessed Kuchiki. I think everyone got Hisagi, ha.**

**Anyway I got a couple comments letting me know I'm a touch slow with the plot lines again. Sorry guys, I know it is my weakness! I thought about reworking some stuff to make it move faster, but I've already written ahead and it'd change a lot of things so I'm really sorry, but I hope everyone will just stick with me and my turtle pace.**

**As always reviews please :)**


	20. Injuries

Nanao was hurting, and for the first time in weeks it had absolutely nothing to do with emotional pain. She was actually in vast amounts of physical pain. Which was no surprise really, but the extent of it was shocking. It'd only been a week since she'd sought out the Taichos for their respective help and no one was being kind. Well maybe Hisagi, but the rest seemed to be on a mission to prove to her how out of place she was. She'd been aware that she wasn't exactly fit compared to some division's standards, but she hadn't fully contemplated quite how out of shape she really was.

Kuchiki had had her shunpoing all over the Seireitei and then dodging kido blasts that had left welts all over her body from where she wasn't fast enough. She'd learned quickly not to yelp when they made contact as he only reacted by making the spells harder and faster. She could have sworn the sadistic bastard had even grinned when one onigiri sized spell made direct impact with her ass. She was still avoiding sitting whenever possible.

Then the 11th had been its own mess. Their morning routine consisted of sit-ups, pushups, pull-ups, basically any kind of up you could think of along with obstacle courses and old-fashioned running. In fact, she was pretty sure there had to be a limit where too much running was unhealthy. She'd been left in the division members' dust all week and had completed their rigorous workouts almost an hour after everyone else with their constant heckling riding her for the entire thing. Kenpachi had just snorted when he'd noticed her and said nothing more. Yachiru, on the other hand, took great pleasure in bouncing back and forth between her and the leading group to ask her annoying questions and ramble on and on about candy and SWA events she was scheming. Nanao had contemplated bringing duct tape for the child's mouth.

Soi Fon was also particularly brutal. Nanao was pretty sure she was being deliberately placed with 2nd division members far beyond her ability just so they could use her as a punching bag or throwing dummy. It didn't help that some of the kids in the same class were half her age. If she heard Soi Fon mutter the word pathetic one more time while watching her practice she was seriously going to lace the Taicho's morning coffee with laxatives.

Really Hisagi's lessons were like a vacation after all the others. He was kind and always happy to correct her form without screaming or biting her head off. He was also always considerate of injuries. Of course, that could just be because he was happy to be getting fed though. Men always tended to be nicer when they were getting food out of the deal.

Between all the training and spending some time each day with the Higurashi, Nanao had been completely worn out and had spent most of her weekend sleeping and reapplying pain numbing kido. She figured she might as well get used to not healing smaller injuries, but she was seriously not enjoying it. In fact she was somewhat secretly longing for her days behind a desk with endless stacks of paperwork. Not that she'd admit that to anyone if they asked.

She shifted her weight uncomfortably off the ankle she'd sprained that morning with the 11th and further aggravated with the 2nd. Luckily Hisagi hadn't been able to meet with her today. Great way to start off a new week, she thought sarcastically. She'd have to heal the ankle tonight if she wanted to be able to continue tomorrow. There was no sense in risking potential serious injury just due to pride. Her other wounds would keep her in plenty of pain.

Currently she was waiting for the Taicho meeting to let out so she could talk to the Soutaicho. A hell butterfly had informed her early that morning that he wanted to talk to her in person after the report she'd filed last Friday. More than likely he wanted an explanation on why she was wasting several Taicho's precious time.

She sighed as she caught sight of herself again in a decorative vase in the hallway. She looked almost as awful as she felt. Her now old black eye was turning a disgusting shade of yellow and green, two of her fingers on her left hand were bandaged from taking a direct hit from one of Kuchiki's kido spells and being bent backwards, and she had a huge raspberry on the left side of her face stretching from her forehead to her cheekbone from where she'd eaten gravel this morning when she'd twisted her ankle and fell on an obstacle course. The sad part was this was just the area you could see. She was avoiding looking at herself naked in a mirror at all costs. Nanao blew out an exasperated breath to move her bangs further out of her face and shifted uncomfortably once more. This Taicho meeting better end soon because she was tired and cranky and someone was going to get hell if it didn't.

* * *

Jyuushiro watched his friend fidget again and laughed silently to himself. He wondered vaguely if Yamamoto Sensei was dragging out the meeting just to torture Shunsui. It'd been hard not to notice when Shunsui'd suddenly snapped out of his half doze about a half hour ago and started to get anxious. Jyuushiro had quickly scanned the area and realized that Nanao was out in the hall waiting. Considering he'd had to listen to Shunsui whine about not seeing her for the past week, he wasn't surprised that his friend currently looked like he was about to wet himself.

The Soutaicho finally dismissed them and Shunsui whirled on his heel only to be stopped when Yamamoto called out his name. His friend cursed and looked indecisive for a moment before turning and moving towards their old Sensei. Jyuushiro lingered as the other Taichos exited, for one to stop Shunsui from doing anything idiotic, and for another because he himself had been missing the woman recently. He'd never realized how much of Nanao he saw just due to Shunsui's normal antics. Without her having to track Shunsui down daily, he'd been seeing significantly less of her.

Shunsui strode towards him and the door a few minutes later and Jyuushiro asked, "What did he want?"

"Something about a possible new fukutaicho," Shunsui said darkly.

"Well, that'd be good as you don't exactly enjoy paperwork," Jyuushiro said kindly knowing for a fact that, proving hell may have frozen over, Shunsui had been keeping up on his paperwork.

"I'm doing fine," Shunsui grumbled. "I don't need a new fukutaicho. Better than going home and being stalked by my family and an overly sweet, but ultimately very misguided woman."

Shunsui admitting paperwork was better than something? Yep, hell had indeed frozen over. Jyuushiro chuckled and trailed after him, nearly slamming into his friends back when he came to a sudden standstill. Jyuushiro peered around him and felt his own surprise wash over him. Nanao looked liked she'd been put through the wringer and back. Presently Hisagi was standing in front of her talking to her, but it didn't do anything to hide her beat up state. This was not going to end well. "Shun," he cautioned.

"What?" Shunsui growled.

"She's obviously ok or she'd be at the 4th," Jyuushiro said trying to calm him.

"_That_ is not ok," Shunsui stated coldly as he started marching over to the pair. Hisagi said something and motioned to the fresh looking wound on the side of her face and Nanao smiled at him and then winced, as the facial expression must have exacerbated the injury.

Jyuushiro walked closely behind his friend and saw Nanao's eyes darken as she noticed them approaching. Hisagi turned to look at what had caught her attention and paled a bit below his tattoos. Jyuushiro couldn't see Shunsui's expression from this angle, but he had a feeling it didn't look too welcoming.

"Well I should be going," Hisagi said as they came within earshot.

"Yes, of course, see you tomorrow Shuuhei-kun," Nanao said pointedly, and Jyuushiro could almost feel Shunsui's hackles rise. Was she trying to get the boy killed?

"Right tomorrow," he said smiling now that he'd looked away from Kyouraku's approach. They stopped about a foot away, and Hisagi nodded to them politely. "Put some ice on that sucker," Hisagi suggested, pointing to his own head to show her what he was referring too.

"Can't bare to look at it?" Nanao teased lightly.

"Hell no. I think its kind of hot," Hisagi said grinning. Scratch that, the boy was going to get himself killed all on his own. "Almost as good as the shiner."

Nanao quirked a smile at him and said her goodbyes before turning to his impatient friend. "Kyouraku Taicho. Ukitake Taicho."

"What the hell happened to you?" Shunsui exploded. Jyuushiro winced as he saw the anger flit across the dark haired woman's face for a moment before it lost all emotion and became stony.

"Several things," she replied with a shrug. "What's it matter?"

"What's it matter?" Shunsui repeated in a shocked tone. "What's it matter? You look like you survived a hollow stampede."

"It's not that bad," Nanao argued rolling her eyes.

"It damn well is. Who did this? The yakuza? Where the hell was your brother?" Shunsui demanded in rapid succession.

"My brother is none of your damn business," Nanao said flaring on him. "He thinks I'm capable of taking care of myself, and I appreciate that."

"You obviously aren't," Shunsui said riled. Jyuushiro cringed internally and moved quickly to get out of the way as his best friend was blasted back by a kido ball of air pressure the size of a watermelon. Shunsui flew head over feet, losing his hat and pink haori in the process, and regained his footing across the hall glaring.

"What do you know?" she demanded darkly. "I got these injuries from your fellow Taichos, as I've obviously not had adequate training."

"Training for what? War?" he demanded sarcastically. Jyuushiro groaned mentally as he heard it leave his friend's mouth, confident it had just ripped open an old wound.

"Yes," Nanao hissed. "The exact thing you were supposed to be training me for. I'm a shinigami, not a damn secretary. I'm not getting left behind again." Nanao had never totally forgiven Shunsui for forcing her to stay during the Winter War. Given there had been plenty of excuses at the time, someone needs to stay and run everything, someone needs to monitor at a safe distance, someone needs to protect the home turf, but everyone, including Nanao, knew it had boiled down to the fact that Kyouraku was simply not willing to risk her. "I have a meeting with the Soutaicho," she stated stiffly.

Shunsui put a hand on her arm as she went to move past him, and she flinched away from the touch in obvious physical pain. Kyouraku shoved her uniform sleeve up before he probably even thought the whole action through and revealed a whole expanse of pale flesh and angry red welts. She tore the arm from his grasp and slapped him hard, ignoring the discreet but rapt audience they'd attracted. "Don't touch me," she growled.

"Nanao," he said, and everyone present could hear the pain in his voice, which had nothing to do with the recent slap. "What are you doing?"

"Growing up," she said, turning her eyes away from him. "You might consider doing the same. It was nice to see you Ukitake Taicho." That said she went into the meeting room and let the door slam shut behind her.

"Come on, Shun," Jyuushiro said touching his friend's shoulder after collecting the hat and haori off the ground. "Let's go grab a drink, huh?" The remaining Taichos started to move off, and Jyuushiro could have sworn he saw Soi Fon smirking to herself.

"What just happened?" Shunsui asked almost to himself.

"I'd say you pissed her off royally," Jyuushiro said honestly. "Did you really think this was the best place to berate her?"

"I wasn't berating her," Shunsui defended as he let himself be led down the hall. "Kami, did you see all those wounds?"

"Yes, I did and yes you were," Jyuushiro said, hearing the inner turmoil winding its way through his friend's tone.

"What are they doing to her?" Shunsui demanded. "She doesn't need to get the shit beat out of her. She's got kido. It's enough. I wouldn't let anything get close enough to her for it not to be appropriate."

"You won't be around to help her all the time now though," Jyuushiro corrected lightly.

"It's not like they often hold wars in the Rukongai. She should be able to neutralize any threat out there with kido, regardless of whether I'm there or not," Shunsui argued. "I wouldn't have let her go if I believed differently."

Jyuushiro sighed. "Maybe Nanao is tired of being allowed into only the dangerous situations you deem safe enough, Shun. I mean I get why you do it, and I understand you love her and it's a habit now, but you can't control this any longer. Even if you'd stayed together it was bound to happen sooner or later. Her biggest fear has always been that she's unqualified, useless, unworthy. You know that, and we both know it's idiotic, but frankly you've never given her the chance to prove its not true to herself."

"Being good in a fight doesn't make you worthy," Shunsui said fiercely.

"Would you stop being an idiot?" Jyuushiro asked getting fed up. "You know her better than I do. Why the hell am I having to tell you what she's thinking and feeling?"

"You're right," Shunsui said sighing and stopping to stare up at the sky. "This is all my fault. I promised I'd keep her safe."

"Feed a man a fish he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he eats for his whole life," Jyuushiro recited quietly. "She'll be able to protect herself."

"I want to protect her, regardless of if she needs it. I don't want her to make any more unpleasant memories," Shunsui said with a defeated sigh. "Come on, you promised me a drink."

Jyuushiro watched his friend start to shuffle down the street and severely wanted to lock them both in a room until they sorted things out. He wasn't naïve enough to think that love would get them through, but honestly Shunsui needed to let her fight her own battles and Nanao needed to decide once and for all if he was worth it. Nanao wasn't stupid. She knew she was riling him up with Hisagi and with her blatant disregard for his concern. It was one thing for her to cut Shunsui off, and it was quite another for her to torture him. Jyuushiro moved to catch up with his depressed friend and they walked slowly in silence.

When Shunsui said he'd promised to keep her safe he wasn't being overdramatic. He'd had an infatuation with her safety since Lisa had been gone. Jyuushiro remembered the first time Shunsui'd mentioned Nanao after his first month of depression following the disappearances. Jyuushiro had asked what finally made him get off his ass and regain at least a little sobriety to deal with his squad. Apparently Shunsui'd finally realized he was doing his squad more harm than good by being unresponsive when he'd had the little girl inform him that she'd decided to focus on combat training and give up her intellectual pursuits. Shunsui had taken to reading with the child to keep her from growing up into a man-like 11th division barbarian, as he'd put it, and Jyuushiro had watched the simple interaction heal some of his friend's broken spirit too.

Everyone had quickly learned that the littlest member of the 8th was under Kyouraku's direct supervision and protection. Not that that stopped others from hounding the girl when he wasn't looking. Shunsui tended to be a bit oblivious to the harm his inordinate attentions and favoritisms could provoke. It didn't matter though. The girl would have battled a thousand shinigami to stay at the side of the Taicho she so openly adored as a child. Nanao had always been good about putting up a fight for other people, but seemed less inclined to defend herself, which Jyuushiro had always assumed arose from some of her own personal issues.

She'd been put in the 4th when she was the 8th's 6th seat for being involved in a street brawl. Jyuushiro had been with Shunsui when the Taicho was informed that five of his division members were injured in a spat with the 3rd, and Jyuushiro had gone along to the 4th out of simple curiosity. It hadn't been a big deal until one of the healers had innocently informed Shunsui that 6th seat Ise would not be released until later that night as, unlike the other more minor injuries, she'd also sustained a broken arm.

Shunsui had been down the hall before Jyuushiro could fully react to the news, and he'd finally apologized to the healer and followed after his over reactive friend with a sigh. He'd tracked Shunsui easily enough and stopped at the open door as he felt his friend's reiatsu spike almost imperceptibly. He'd glanced into the room and saw Nanao with a sling on her arm and a few scrapes, but otherwise seeming physically sound.

"What happened, Nanao-chan?" Shunsui had asked the teenage girl quietly, ignoring Jyuushiro's presence.

"We just got in a fight, Taicho," Nanao had said with a shrug.

"Over what? Who started it?"

"I don't know. One minute it was just friendly competition over a game of Mahjong, and then the next everyone was hurling insults, sir," she'd answered. "Someone threw the first punch and it turned into a brawl."

"You're lying," Shunsui'd said after she stopped.

"I am not," the girl huffed, and Jyuushiro had almost chuckled at the childish expression that worked its way onto her maturing face. She'd been trying terribly hard to act the part of an adult recently, and Shunsui had been having quite a bit of fun teasing her and harassing her until she acted silly and young again. His friend was not so interested in playing at the moment though.

"Then you aren't telling the whole truth," Shunsui had stated.

"Sir, it was just a fight," she'd said with a shrug. "It happens all the time."

"Not with you in the middle of it," he'd corrected.

She'd looked up at him with something akin to anger, but had held it back for fear of reprimand. "It was just a fight, sir. Regardless of whether or not I was involved, it wasn't a big deal. Question the others if you don't believe me."

"You're the most injured," he'd replied.

"Only by sheer accident," she'd said. "He wasn't even trying to break my arm, we just got shoved and I fell oddly on it."

"Who's he?" Shunsui'd asked.

"The guy from the 3rd. You'd have to ask them, sir. I don't know anyone's names."

Shunsui'd left after a bit more questioning to see if he could get more answers out of some of the other squad members, and Jyuushiro had slid into the seat next to her happy to not be the one in the bed on this particular occasion.

"He just wants you safe," Jyuushiro had counseled the moody teenager.

"It's a broken arm," she'd said sourly. "Squad members receive worse all the time." He'd reached into his pocket and given her a candy he'd had stashed there. She'd taken it after a moment's hesitation and looked even younger after she popped it into her mouth.

"But all squad members are not you," he'd said after a moment, acknowledging that she was different although the poor thing was obviously torn on how to feel about it. Nanao had forever wavered between soaking up and needing her Taicho's attentions, and wanting him to leave her the hell alone to be like everyone else.

"It's just a broken arm," she'd reiterated stubbornly.

"What started the fight?"

"Like I said before, Ukitake-Taicho," and he'd heard the formality rise in her voice as her defensive method of choice, "It just went bad all of a sudden. Squad rivalries and whatnot."

"Ah, so they insulted the 8th," he'd clarified.

"Yes, sir."

"And Shunsui?"

"Yes, sir," she'd admitted, her expression darkening.

"What'd they say about him?" he'd asked curiously. The girl often put up with verbal attacks without getting aggressive, so he'd been curious as to what set her off.

She blushed violently and fidgeted with the sheets. "Just the usual, that he's a drunk and lazy."

"You've heard all that before though," he'd argued. "So has all of the 8th. What set you all off this time?"

"They said he was screwing her," a voice had answered from the door. Jyuushiro had turned his head to recognize the 4th seat of the 8th standing by the door with a patch on his cheek, but otherwise looking unharmed.

"Hiraga-san," Nanao had hissed looking alarmingly unhappy. "It doesn't matter."

"They said Shunsui was sleeping with you?" Jyuushiro had asked turning back to the girl.

"They may have implied that sir," Nanao had answered.

"Those yellow bellied bastards said that the only reason Taicho kept a no talent whore, their words not mine, like her around was because she must do every perversion he asks for," the 4th seat had elaborated ignoring the woman's glare. "Then they started throwing out suggestions and asking her to demonstrate, most of which are too foul to repeat in polite company. Even recommended a few things she could do to get promoted. It's not like there aren't people in the 8th who think the same, but at least they keep it to themselves. Who cares what the two of them choose to do? Besides that, the 8th's business is the 8th's business. No good, double crossing 3rd squad members don't have the right to say shit like that to us."

Nanao had looked like she was about to die of shame, and Jyuushiro had felt his own anger rise up at the thought. The poor thing hadn't done anything to deserve this kind of loathing within even her own squad. It wasn't her fault Shunsui was so fond of her, and she couldn't seem to help but want to support her Taicho in turn. He'd have to have a word with Shunsui about making his affairs and trysts even more public than usual if only just to give the girl a reprieve. She was barley out of childhood for kami sake.

"Quite right, Hiraga-san, though perhaps a more diplomatic solution should be found next time," Jyuushiro said calmly. "Did you need something else?"

"Just wanted to make sure she was alright," the man had said shaking his head. "I was the highest ranking member of the group so I felt like it was my duty to make sure everyone was ok. Besides Taicho would have had my head if something permanently damaging had happened to the pip squeak."

"I'm fine Hiraga-san, thank you for checking," Nanao had said quietly. The man had nodded and headed off.

"Why didn't you tell Shunsui?"

"Because he'd have thrown a tantrum and made it even worse," she'd answered with a sigh. "If he goes after those men it's just going to seem like what they were saying is true."

"Or he could finally be putting the record straight," Jyuushiro had countered. "Defending your honor is a good enough reason especially if they were implying really scandalous things."

"It doesn't matter if they all think I'm whoring myself for a rank," Nanao had said frustrated. "They're all idiots. If he goes after them it's just going to bring a million more like them. It's not really me they're making fun of anyway. It's him for supposedly wanting me. If he rises to the bait it will never end. I can't help that I look more and more like Yadomaru fukutaicho and that everyone knew they'd slept together."

"You don't care if everyone thinks that about you?" Jyuushiro had asked unbelievingly. "I don't think that's true, Ise-san. It's a nasty thing to be called."

"What's so wrong with whores?" Nanao had demanded suddenly angry. "It's not like they wanted to be that way. They do what they have to to survive and men enjoy it well enough. There wouldn't be any whores if there weren't any demand for them. So why don't you all go insult the men paying the money, instead of the poor women forced to do something they don't want to do? And even if they do want to do it, what's so awful about taking what's offered? Not everyone gets a choice and a comfy life."

The venom in her had taken him by surprise, and for a moment he'd had nothing to say. "I didn't mean to offend you Ise-san," he'd said softly and seen some of the anger leave her expression.

"I'm sorry, Ukitake Taicho," she'd said tiredly. "It's just they shouldn't have said Kyouraku Taicho was the kind of man that would do that to a woman. He isn't. He'd never. I've met men like that and he isn't."

"I know," he'd replied. "Get some rest, Ise-san. I'll make sure Shunsui doesn't do anything stupid.

He'd tracked down his friend and told him the 3rd had made some suggestive comments about Nanao setting off the fight and her embarrassment, but he'd left out the fact that Shunsui'd been implicated too. He'd known Shunsui wouldn't stand for it, and the girl was obviously convinced it wouldn't help anything. Really the best thing Shunsui could do for her was start sleeping with someone else and let it be really common knowledge.

Things had continued on and reverted back to normal in the days and years that had followed, but without fail the only thing that ever landed Nanao in the 4th with serious injuries was the defense of a squad member or of her Taicho. Nothing was scarier than a Nanao that couldn't reach her Taicho.

They'd gotten a distress call on an 8th mission years later that Shunsui had lead out, and Nanao had nearly ripped Sasakibe fukutaicho apart when he'd had trouble getting them clearance for a gate to join the fight. Then she'd charged in without even surveying the fight and kido blasted three hollows out of her way without even looking. Witnesses to that fight would say hollows had exploded almost seemingly before she'd gotten any kido off at all. Even Jyuushiro had felt like there were hollows blowing up from the inside out and the normal flashes of her kido seemed almost invisible until the target was destroyed.

She'd been in one hell of a rage by the time they'd reached Shunsui in the middle of the mess with half of his recruits unconscious and his left arm nearly useless as he tried to hold off the overwhelming force. The squad members had been more of a hindrance than a help. Nanao and Jyuushiro had quickly helped turn the tide, but the woman had somehow managed to get in between Shunsui and a particularly pissed off hollow and taken a barbed tail to the leg protecting him. Jyuushiro could have sworn he'd also seen her take a particular nasty claw hit straight down the chest, but after the fight had discovered happily that he'd been incorrect.

After the way Shunsui freaked out over her leg injury and insisted he assist her back to the new gate, Jyuushiro could only be relieved that she hadn't been slashed open throat to navel as well. Even if it'd been a shallow cut Shunsui would have had her locked up in the 4th for a month, and no one liked how cranky Nanao came out of the 4th.

"She should have come to me," Shunsui said suddenly, startling Jyuushiro out of his memories and back into the present.

"Eh?"

"If she was asking Taichos for additional training, she should have come to me, or to you," he said petulantly.

"She couldn't be sure we wouldn't hold back," Jyuushiro replied, "Whoever she's asked to help probably isn't emotionally attached to her."

"She asked Hisagi," Shunsui muttered. "He's a puppy. What could she possibly learn from him?"

"Notice the way he reacted to her wounds and the way you did," Jyuushiro said rolling his eyes. "Perhaps she didn't care if her teachers were the absolute best as long as they weren't opposed to beating her occasionally. You and I did the same for each other. Nanao-san has never had someone like that before. Rangiku shows no interest in training, and we certainly wouldn't harm her more than a bruise, so what could she possibly learn from us that she hasn't already?"

"It's like you support this," his friend grumbled.

"Shun, the thing Nanao has always needed more than anything else is to find out how to stand up for herself. Not for you, not for the 8th, not for me, not for her brother, but just for her. I don't like the way it came about, but I don't really think it's such a bad thing," he explained with a shrug. "Beyond that it's good for you too. You're always at your best when challenged, and as much as you gripe and moan about how hard she is to talk into this or that or get her to marry you or whatever, you and everybody else knows you've essentially had her hooked for years. Maybe it's time you start actually working at it again. I don't think anything less than your best is going to bring her back around, and so far you've only shown her all the things that drive her absolutely mad about you."

"I guess I could give her some space," Shunsui admitted gruffly after a moment.

"Good," Jyuushiro said. "Because you are driving me crazy as well. Kami, you'd think I was the one involved with this relationship with how much effort I have to put into it, and I never got any of the perks, well besides you being entertained and leaving me in peace."

"Hey!" Shunsui said, getting some of his energy back. "If I didn't know better I'd think you didn't like me. And if you were so upset about being left out, you could have just asked. I didn't know you were that desperate for some action," he announced loudly so that some shingami around them turned to stare. "I'm always more that willing to help a friend in need." Shunsui instantly wrapped himself around him and nuzzled his face into Jyuushiro's neck.

"Would you get off, you stupid idiot?" Jyuushiro demanded pushing at his friend's face, and trying to hide his smile. He'd stopped trying to fight the gay lover rumor years ago when he'd figured out that Shunsui simply could not be deterred from making a fool out of himself in public.

"But Jyuu-chan needs love," Shunsui wailed, trying to get a firmer hold around the thinner man's waist.

"Not from you," Jyuushiro said, wiggling away as Shunsui moved constantly to counteract his attempts at escape.

"Oh come on," Shunsui whined. "I come with good recommendations. You can ask around."

"Gross, get off," Jyuushiro said twisting in a more determined way and finally managed to get a firm hold on Shunsui's wrist to throw him a bit off balance and escape. Then he stuck his tongue out at Shunsui and took off at a high speed shunpo pace.

Seconds later Shunsui was a step or two behind him grinning. "You're on, old man."

"First one to touch Yamamoto-sensei's beard?" Jyuushiro called in challenge, invoking a bet they hadn't used in decades.

"What're the stakes?"

"I win, you can't whine about Nanao-san for a week," Jyuushiro said happily as he bolted over the rooftops. "I'd ask for longer, but that'd be impossible for you."

"Fine," Shunsui said. "But if I win you've got to cover for me with my family and Hayashi-san for a week so I can actually leave the office without them pouncing."

"Deal," Jyuushiro called and then picked up the pace headed back to the 1st. "Prepare to lose!"

* * *

**A/N: A bit of a longer chapter for you all :) And yes, I promise there will be more interaction with the other Taichos in the future. I'm glad that most of you seem alright with my turtlelyness as it's something I can't seem to avoid, ha.**

**Ok, I should have been in bed already in order to hate work slightly less in the morning, so I'm just going to say, review please!**


	21. Training Exercises

"Again," he said disinterestedly.

Nanao panted, but launched herself into another shunpo sprint to one end of the field and back to where he stood. It was a sweltering day and she was glad she'd peeled the top part of her uniform off to work in the tank top she was wearing beneath. Even in that she was sweating enough to make the material stick. It was a Thursday and she was grateful that she hadn't had to attend Soi Fong's classes earlier today as the 11th had chose to be particularly brutal this morning and Hisagi had accidentally gotten in a good hard hit with the wooden practice sword right to the bruised ribs she'd picked up on Tuesday. He generally tried to avoid hitting her bigger injuries and had spent a solid minute apologizing as she wheezed. Now if she could just survive Kuchiki, who never apologized for anything, she could go home, shower, and head out to meet her brother in the Rukongai. She hadn't seen him for about three weeks now since he'd had to keep his distance in the tense situation that was her and the Higuashi family, but she'd gotten a message from Shin this morning when she was out at the family's home that Mamoru wanted her to meet him this evening. As much as she liked spending time with Shin while with the Higurashi, it just didn't match up to getting to spend time with her brother.

A sudden kido blast nailed her in the temple and blew the glasses right off her face. "Pay attention," Kuchiki commanded coldly.

"Yes, sir, sorry, sir," she said contritely, picking the glasses up off the grass, and trying not to rub at her stinging temple. She sighed at the bent frame and placed them in her pocket to fix later.

"Again," he said lightly, glancing down at the stopwatch he was using to time her. She launched herself forward and back, trying not to show the strain of it and trying to ignore his analyzing eyes. "That's enough sprints for now. We'll take a run around the Seireitei to work on your form and then be done for the day."

Nanao groaned internally, but then reminded herself that she had voluntarily signed up for this, and no one liked to let her forget it. The 2nd took particular joy in telling her she could quit whenever she wanted to, and Soi Fon didn't seem inclined to disagree with them. Nanao asked Kuchiki where he wanted to go and then started the run as he easily paced her.

"All the power comes from you core," he lectured sounding bored. "You need to use less motion to achieve the same distance. If you overreach your stride you'll end up out in front of your center of gravity. If you're out in front of yourself you'll naturally land on your heel and thus slow yourself down with every step as the ground absorbs your energy. Increase the time that you are in the air, not the reach of your stride, and you increase your speed. Try to land on the balls of your feet right below your center of gravity."

Nanao listened closely and tried to shorten her stride to fit her own height, but still maintain her speed. It felt awkward and she wondered if she'd ever be able to copy Kuchiki's steady flowing gate. He'd actually suggested dance classes to help her, but currently Nanao just didn't have time. She did get a little bit of pleasure imagining a young Kuchiki forced through a dance class full of girls though. She bet they'd all squealed over him whenever he was out of earshot.

"Increasing your air time is not the same as bouncing," Kuchiki corrected sharply with a glare to emphasis his point. "You're wasting energy if you're expending it vertically. Only move forward, not up. Soften your knees and keep the stride fluid."

Nanao tried to adjust again and felt uncomfortable as she changed her normal running form. "Stop," he commanded in a tone that sounded as close to exasperated as Kuchiki was capable of. Nanao paused and tried not to act too out of breath or disheartened. She knew she was doing better already in the past few weeks, but Kuchiki liked to harp on the negative more than the positive.

"Ise-fukutaicho?" a voice said surprised. "Er, I mean, hello Ambassador Ise."

Nanao glanced to her left and realized they'd come to a halt in front of the 8th division gates. Her former 5th seat stood with a few division members looking at her in surprise and she frowned. Kuchiki must be intentionally trying to embarrass her. She bowed politely to the man and hoped she didn't make too much of an ass out of herself as she turned her attention back to Kuchiki.

"All of you motion needs to be moving forward. It helps if you move with a constant slight lean forward. This uses gravity to your advantage pulling your whole body forwards."

Nanao sighed quietly, but leaned forward to try and force her body into yet another slightly unnatural position.

"No," he reprimanded coldly. "Not from the waist. That will just make you stumble."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean then, Kuchiki Taicho," she sighed, severely conscious of squad members' eyes on the interaction and hoping to get this over with as soon as possible. She'd have snapped at them to get back to work, but realized in the nick of time that she no longer had the authority to do so, and kami only knew if Shunsui was even assigning them work anymore. She'd heard through the grape vine about some of the parties the 8th had thrown over the past weekend and she shuddered to think of the mess inside.

Kuchiki looked annoyed at her confusion, but simply moved up closer to her and started to adjust her stance. His touch surprised her so much she simply allowed it without comment. Kuchiki had never been a hands on teacher, and it was peculiar as he moved her into a very slight entire body lean with a supporting arm around her middle since otherwise she'd have just fallen over without the forward motion of running accompanying it. "Lead with your hips," he said calmly, his arm warm and firm around her waist. "Your hips are your driving force and where they lead your body will follow." His free hand moved down to press her left hip and adjust her posture once more.

"Yes, Kuchiki Taicho," she said, trying to ignore the whispering that had started up around them.

"Good," he said dropping his arm and hand and letting her regain her upright position. "Now start again, and use your hips."

Nanao nodded sharply, more than ready to get going, and launched into her shunpo again trying to lean forward, bend at the knees, and maintain her center of gravity. Kuchiki kept pace and corrected her when necessary. She'd quickly learned that Kuchiki's highest praise was simply silence as he was not big on verbal compliments. It was an odd, but not entirely unwelcome change from Kyouraku's cooing over the slightest thing she managed to accomplish.

The lesson came to an end shortly thereafter and Nanao tried to hide her relief. They said their polite goodbyes before Nanao groaned, realizing she was on the other side of the Seireitei and was still going to have to shunpo home. She was sure Kuchiki had done it on purpose just to be a bastard. She was going to have to use some of her stored up vacation days and take a week off simply to sleep if this kept up. Nanao was trying not to get discouraged, but currently she just felt like one giant sore muscle.

A half hour later she groaned in the hot water of her shower and daydreamed about a massage for all her aches and pains. She cut the thought off quickly as it only led to a very specific person administering the massage and all the usual things those massages turned into. Kami, she was horny. Nanao sighed and tried not to think about it, but she was missing the easy comfort and the guaranteed satisfaction of a steady relationship. It'd been easier before she dated Kyouraku and didn't know what she was missing. Now she occasionally found herself getting slightly turned on simply when she got pinned to the mat during training at the 2nd. Shunsui had liked to torture her occasionally by holding her hands pinned and not letting her do any touching till his say so, and it'd always driven her mad with want. Not that she hadn't gotten him back with a few good kido bindings even he had to struggle to break. She started to dry off and quickly managed to jar tender spots, which at least managed to distract her from her hormones. It wouldn't last long if the last few days were anything to judge by, but at least she always had a bruise handy to poke and distract herself.

After washing and changing she started walking to the Higurashi family's main compound at least feeling slightly more human. It didn't take her long to navigate the now familiar streets and slip inside.

"Nao-chan," she heard her brother call, and smiled over at him as he approached.

"Hello, Nii-san," she greeted.

He whistled as he looked her over. "Shin said you looked liked you'd been getting the crap kicked out of you daily."

"You say the sweetest things," she quipped as she accepted his hug gingerly. "I've missed you."

"Back at you Nao-chan," he replied with a sigh. "But it'd look bad for both of us if we spent too much time together."

"So what's with this evening?"

"Ah, Kei ordered me to give you a special treat because the Shinigami-chan was working so hard," he said with a laugh. "Plus I think he was tired of my moping."

Nanao raised an eyebrow, but followed along after him. She still hadn't entirely forgiven Kei for setting her up at the fights, but she supposed she couldn't fully blame him for simply exposing her weaknesses. After all she really wasn't a part of the Higurashi family. They had no reason to play nice. She knew more than a few shinigami that would have done the same to a lone yakuza trying to enter their ranks. They rounded a corner and walked towards the horse stable where two grooms were standing with fully tacked up horses.

"Nii-san?"

"I remembered how much you liked riding when we were kids," he said with a shrug. "I know you shinigami shunpo everywhere and thus don't keep horses, and I thought you might like to go for a ride."

"Can we really?" she asked, unable to hide the childish glee that entered her tone. The one thing she'd loved more than any other when Tanaka had taken them in was learning how to ride. It was something she'd had to give up when she became a shinigami and had had to try hard not to think about so as not to miss it terribly.

Mamoru laughed and threw an arm around her shoulders, which made her wince from injuries. "Hey, you should tell them to go easier on you," he said removing his arm and looking concerned. "You're just a girl after all."  
"You're a brat," she said punching his arm.

"Well you're a bully," he argued back. "You be good or I won't let you ride."

"You said Kei wanted to do something nice for me," she countered. "He's higher up than you so he wins, and I get to ride regardless." She stuck out her tongue and flash stepped to the groom's side.

"Ah, that was pretty good shunpo baby sister," Mamoru said grinning over at her. "At least all those bruises aren't a total waste, ne?"

"Hurry up," she whined. "I want to ride."

"Didn't anyone ever teach you patience?" he demanded.

"Patience is for sissies. Come on or I'll go without you." The groom gave her a leg up and she slid into the saddle. It felt strange and oddly right all at once.

"Get your heels down," her brother corrected as he mounted up with practiced ease.

"Why is everyone scolding me constantly lately?" she asked with an overdone pout.

"Because you're always wrong," he replied laughing. "You haven't ridden in years. You're going to suck at it for a while."

"That's a reoccurring theme in my life right now," she said making a face.

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Mamoru said leading them out of the gate and onto the streets of the Rukongai. "You and I both know if you decided to whip out some kido we'd all be begging for mercy."

"Oh man, what I wouldn't give to kido the smirks off the 11th division's faces," she said with a dreamy sigh. It was actually a fantasy that'd played through her head on more than one early morning endurance training.

"Nao-chan," he said and then sighed. "You know you don't have to do this right? Why not just do the job as it is. The Higurashi would be more than happy to feed you some unimportant information in exchange for you keeping the position and not giving anything of significance to either side. It'd be better than the Shinigami sending in a spy we'd have to weed out."

"We can help each other nii-chan," she said shaking her head. "The Shinigami and the Higurashi don't have to be enemies."

"I still don't see what getting your ass kicked has to do with anything," he grumbled.

"I have to gain their respect. You know I can't do that as I am. Beyond that I'm tired of having everyone jump in front of me trying to take the hits for me."

"You think all this training will stop us?" he asked with a laugh. "You're my baby sister. If I can protect you I'm going to, regardless of whether you're a match for the whole Gotei 13 or not. I'm sure, despite everything, Kyouraku still feels the same."

"That sounded vaguely like a compliment," she said darkly, making a face at her brother.

"Hey, you forget I initially chose him for you," Mamoru said with a shrug, leading them down a more abandoned path out of the houses. "He's a good Taicho in that he protects his subordinates. That was the whole point. I just didn't think you'd ever start dating or sleeping with him. So all the bad stuff was your own fault."

"All men are annoying idiots," she stated with a humph of displeasure.

"And all women are nagging, too serious, complicated messes," he shot back with a grin.

"Only because you men make us that way," she argued with a laugh.

"Keep telling yourself that," he said easily. "Now your form still sucks, but you think you can just hang on if we go for a run across this field?"

"I can," she said quickly. She didn't care if she couldn't. It'd be worth the possible fall just to run all out on horseback again. Shunpo was great, but there was something about the thrill of riding fast through an open space that nothing could match. Heck, if she fell it'd just be one more bruise for the collection.

"Alright," her brother said happily and gave a brief signal kick to get his horse going. Neither of the animals needed to be told twice, and Nanao found herself laughing and clinging to the saddle and the reins as they flew through the field.

An hour later they dismounted back at the Higurashi stables, and Nanao groaned as she felt the saddle soreness invade her thighs and butt. One more thing she was going to have to work on.

"You look like you had fun," Kei's voice called out.

Nanao glanced up from dusting off her pant legs and saw her brother greet the man fondly. She stiffened a bit, but said hello and thanked him for the opportunity to ride.

"I was surprised when your brother said you liked riding," Kei replied calmly, obviously not the least put off by her cold attitude. "I figured most Shinigami would find shunpo vastly superior."

"Depends on what you want to do," she said with a shrug. "I just like horses and like the feeling of riding."

"Then you'll have to do it more often," Kei said casually. "I'd be happy to ride with you whenever you like if your brother isn't free to take you out."

"Back to being nice again then?" she said narrowing her eyes.

"When was I ever not nice?" he asked shooting an overdone bewildered look at her brother. Mamoru just snorted and started taking the tack off the horses. "Ah, the fights you mean? How could I know the woman would challenge you or that you'd be so badly prepared? When you arrived you said you were ready to go the distance. I had also assumed that they trained you shinigami."

"Just because I wasn't used to physical combat doesn't make me useless," she defended harshly.

"No it doesn't," he said. "But it does mean you'll never understand our way of life. Don't you remember growing up in the Rukongai? Every day was a physical fight with others or even just yourself to endure and carry on. Strength comes in the will to survive in all its forms. Some people don't have that, which is fine, but they'll never be Higurashi. Well, maybe they'll be a Higurashi's woman if they're lucky, but not really one of us."

"Don't get your hopes up," she said letting disgust fill her tone.

Kei laughed riotously at that. "You think I'd want you? Frankly you look too much like Moru-kun for my taste, luv. Besides I like my women drunk, loose, and flexible. What Kyouraku sees in you I wouldn't know, and that's saying something as I know he and I have hooked up with some of the same women at different times in the 1st district. They like to brag about bedding Taichos."

"Pervert," she said. She snatched a brush from her brother and started grooming her own horse hoping he'd go away.

"Aw, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Kei joked lightly. "I'd probably still sleep with you were you to offer, if that makes you feel better."

"Who'd want to sleep with you?" Nanao demanded.

"Pretty much every woman I've ever met," he said with a grin.

"Kami, I don't know how they could," Nanao said lightly. "I'd be in constant fear of being smothered by your ego."

"You're just jealous. Besides if that's what you're afraid of you could always be on top," he said with a laugh and then had the audacity to smack her on the butt.

It was more instinct than anything else that had her throwing the brush in her hands at his head to make him block the distraction and then whipping down to kick his legs out from under him only to pin him to the ground with her sword at his throat a moment later. "Don't touch me," she snarled enraged.

His eyes, darkened to the color of a stormy ocean, glinted up at her and a smirk curled his lips. "No need to be rash. I already said you could be on top." She growled and he continued calmly. "You're getting better after all, Shinigami-chan. Your right knee isn't stable enough though. I could knock it out from under you and have you pinned in a few seconds."

She corrected her posture stiffly, but didn't remove her zanpakutou from his throat. "I don't like to be touched."

"I know," he said unconcerned by the blade against his skin. "They'll waste you entirely."

"What?" she demanded.

Before she could truly react Kei got a leg between her own and flipped her up over his head. He was on her and grinding her into the ground before she could get her air back, and she felt every aggravated injury scream.

"Kei-san," she heard her brother say sharply. Kei ignored him entirely.

"Don't make yourself too useful, luv," he rumbled. "We may just never let you go." That said he released her from the dirt and with the return of his usual smile put his hand out to help her to her feet.

She ignored it and stood up on her own. She had quite a few kido spells she'd like to test out on the overconfident smiling bastard in front of her. What was his problem anyway?

A gong rang out around them and suddenly the doors on a building a block down from them opened with children spilling out. "Evening classes are out. You going to kill me in front of a bunch of kids?" Kei asked.

"Don't touch me again, or I won't waste time wrestling you. I'll just blow off your favorite appendage and be done with it," she said stiffly turning back to her horse. Kei just laughed and said a polite goodbye to her brother.

"He's trying to push your buttons and test you you know," Mamoru said with a sigh.

"To what end?"

"Ever hear the phrase know thy enemy?"

"I'm not the enemy," she stated firmly.

"Guilty until proven otherwise out here," Mamoru said with a shrug. "You're shinigami, that's enough. Kei-san always has to know the measure of everyone. It's in his nature. You'd be surprised how much I hated him when I first came here."

"But now you don't?" she asked lifting up her horse's foot to check its hoof.

"Now I realize that I wouldn't be half of what I am without him pushing me. He's not exactly kind, but he's not Tanaka either. Besides he's family."

"Nanao-san?" a small voice interrupted curiously, and she glanced up to locate the source. A boy stood there staring at her. It took her a minute to place him as he'd shot up a good foot in height and while still gangly had filled out much more since the last time she'd seen him.

"Ren-kun?" she asked lightly. "What are you doing here?"

"Shouldn't I be asking that?" he demanded and she nearly laughed at the haughty attitude he still possessed. "Aren't you a stinking shinigami?"

"I'm a stinking ambassador from the shinigami to the Higurashi family now," she said with a small laugh.

"_You're_ the shinigami that got her ass kicked?" he demanded wide eyed.

"Just the way I always wanted to be known," she said with a groan.

"It's not that bad," Mamoru said laughing.

"Yeah, only because you find it funny," she argued.

"Egami-san?" Ren asked hesitantly, and shocked Nanao to no ends by bowing low when her brother turned his eyes on the boy.

"What's your name kid?" Mamoru asked good-naturedly.

"Ren, sir," the boy said quietly, and Nanao lifted an eyebrow. She'd never seen the respectful side of the boy.

"How do you know my sister, Ren-san?" Mamoru asked tolerantly.

"You're _his_ sister?" Ren demanded looking at her in surprise. "Why would you become a stupid shinigami then?"

"Hey, he was the one that put me in the academy," she said jerking a finger over at her brother, who it was becoming more and more obvious was hero worshiped by the boy.

"Why would you do that, sir?" Ren asked in aw.

"I didn't want her to be in any real danger if you know what I mean," Mamoru said with a wink. "You know how shinigami just lay around and eat all day. Barely even work at all."

"Stop telling him lies you ass," Nanao said with a laugh.

"You're going to let her call you that?" Ren asked surprised.

"She's my baby sister, kid. What can you do?" Mamoru said with a long-suffering sigh.

"When did you get here Ren-kun?" she asked ignoring him.

"About a year ago I guess," he said with a shrug.

"I tried to find you after I got back to the Seireitei," she said with a smile. "All this time you were right here."

"Yeah, well I wasn't joining no stupid shinigami," he said stubbornly.

"I would never have expected you to," she said with a fond laugh, ruffling the boy's hair.

"Hey!" he said grabbing her wrist. "People are watching."

She glanced up and saw a group of boys hovering next to one of the school buildings and watching them. "Aw, is Ren-chan scared of being seen with the shinigami?"

"You are kind of a disgrace," the kid answered bluntly with a grin that set Nanao laughing again. "But I guess if your Mamoru-san's sister you can't be too bad."

"Well thank kami for that," she said.

"We've got horses to take care of, kid," Mamoru said dismissing him. "Come hit on my sister another time, eh?"

"I wasn't!" the boy said looking mortified.

"You saying you don't like me sister?" Mamoru teased.

"No, sir, I wasn't saying that either," Ren defended.

"Stop being mean," Nanao chastised. "He's just joking."

"Oh," Ren said flushing slightly. "Well, I'll see you later I guess." Ren bowed nervously to Mamoru and stuck his tongue out at Nanao.

"Kid," Mamoru called as he started away. "You the one that told the shinigami Taicho where my sister was when that old bastard had her?"

"Yes, sir," Ren said blushing again.

"I'm teaching a combat class tomorrow morning if you're interested in coming and observing," he said with a shrug. "5 AM sharp."

"Yes, sir. I'll be there sir!" Ren said nearly tripping over his own feet as he hurried back to his friends.

"That was kind of you," Nanao said with a smile. "You often get admirers like that?"

"Contrary to what you believe," Mamoru said with a grin. "I'm actually considered pretty cool out here. I've been in some of the bigger skirmishes with rival families, and I'm one of the few with high levels of reiatsu. Is the kid worth anything?"

"He's got enough attitude to probably see him through a few hits," Nanao said with a shrug. "I don't actually know him too well."

Her brother hummed to himself. "I'll keep an eye on him."

"Let me know how it goes," Nanao said smiling fondly. "I'm glad he's off the streets, at least."

"Nanao?" her brother asked after a few moments of silence in which they continued to brush their horses.

"Yeah?"

"How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," she said confused.

"I mean really," he clarified vaguely.

She sighed. "I'm doing ok. I know I'm getting my ass kicked right now, but it feels good in a strange way. Like I'm finally doing something."

"And Kyouraku?"

"What about him?" she said trying to sound casual.

"You're over him?"

Nanao laughed. "Hardly. I think about him when I go to bed and when I wake up every morning, but at least now sometimes I can go five minutes without him crossing my mind."

"Am I allowed to say I told you so now?"

She laughed and rubbed her horse's neck. "Fine, get it over with."

"I told you so," he said.

Nanao laughed again. "I think I liked being an only child better."

"Liar," he said simply. "Come on, let's put the horses away and we can go find Shin-kun for dinner. You can cook."

"Why am I always the one that ends up cooking?" she demanded.

"Because it's soooooo good when you do," he wheedled.

"Fine, stupid nii-san," she said with a smile.

"Love you too, baby sister."

* * *

**A/N: So I was planning on using my birthday on Sunday to ask for reviews… now I'm hoping to use it as an excuse as to why this is out late :( Oh well, a little mid-week pick me up.**

**As for Kuchiki's shunpo teaching, I just took that from regular running training and hoped for the best. Please review all the same!**


	22. Bells

Nanao grunted as she threw herself over the last hurdle, dropped into a crouch, and then started scrambling under the wires on elbows and knees. The rain started coming down harder and she was glad Kuchiki had broken her glasses the day before as if she'd chosen to wear them today they would have only been a hindrance. She dragged herself the last foot, leapt to her feet, and sprinted towards the finish line. She was still last, but not nearly as far behind as she had been when she'd begun weeks ago.

"Well now that we're done waiting for the princess to finish, I guess we can all head out," Ikkaku called with a laugh. The other men grumbled and some started to stomp off through the rain.

"What is it with men and idiotic nicknames?" Nanao groused, hating being soaked to the skin and muddy. "Why can't we all just call each other by our names? It's why we have them in the first place."

"You never seemed to mind Kyouraku Taicho doing the same, _Nanao-chan_," Ikkaku taunted with a laugh. "Though I guess you were getting something on the other end of that."

"Hey, we'd be happy to supply that too," another man called to a chorus of laughs.

"You need some loving _Nanao-chan_?" one of them cooed. "You didn't have to go through all this to get our attention. What's good enough for Kyouraku's bed is surely good enough for ours."

"I would advise you to hold your tongues. Now." Nanao glared at them each in turn, and most had enough sense to back down some. Unfortunately not all of them did.

"That time of the month?" Ikkaku asked chortling next to his ever present sidekick Yumichika, who was clean and dry under an umbrella since he'd claimed he was too beautiful to participate.

Nanao let her rage win out and blasted Ikkaku off his feet and head over heels on to his ass with a flick of her fingers. Then she shot a ping pong sized burning kido ball over to hover a centimeter from his face effectively keeping him pinned to the ground. The rain sizzled and evaporated before it could even come close to touching the glowing sphere of light. "It's hot enough to burn right through your skull and brain," she commented lightly. "I wouldn't sit up if I were you."

"What the hell is wrong with you woman?" Ikkaku demanded groping for his sword while he remained flat on his back.

"Just because the 11th doesn't like kido doesn't make it any less deadly," she said coldly. "I put up with your criticisms and deplorable humor because I need the training you provide, but I would caution you all never to forget that I was a fukutaicho in my own right. I may not be able to match your physical endurance on the training field, but believe me when I say I can splatter your brains across the ground whenever it so pleases me. Now I'm going to teach you a very important life lesson. A woman's private life is just that, private, and just because a woman gets pissed off does not mean she is on her monthly, and you better thank whatever kami you hold dear that I'm not, otherwise you really would be dead. Now stop being an asshole, and that goes for all the rest of you too."

That said she flicked her hand and the kido dissipated leaving only a rising ball of steam in its wake. Most of the men made fleeting half bows to her and turned tail and ran, looking considerably paler. "Rough morning?" Yumichika asked moving so that his umbrella covered her as well.

"Not particularly," she said with a shrug, ringing out her hair casually. "I have just reached the end of my tolerance on this particular matter."

"Let's fight," Ikkaku called gleefully. "Your kido bullshit against my sword.

"Not in the mood," she said simply.

He charged her and she shunpo side stepped throwing a binding at his feet and letting him plough head first into the ground. He whipped up to attack her again and two shots of kido had him staggering backwards instantly.

"I said, I'm not in the fucking mood," she growled, blasting him once more. He grinned at her and looked intent on attacking her again when she placed a kido box shield around his head. After a few seconds and a look of surprise she saw the panic seep into his features.

"What's that?" Yumichika asked curiously.

"Simple shielding spell," she said cocking her head and watching the man struggle. "Just happens to occur with a vacuum inside."

"You mean he's suffocating?" Yumichika clarified.

"Slowly," she confirmed with a twisted little smile.

"You going to kill him?" Yumichika asked calmly. "It's a decidedly unbeautiful way to go."

"Too much paperwork," she said with a sad little sigh, and cut the spell off, letting the man drop to his knees and gasp for air. The two men that had remained from the training session quickly made a hasty retreat.

"How?" Ikkaku choked out.

"Kido master, dumbshit," she said caustically. "Just because Kyouraku Taicho didn't let me fight doesn't mean I can't. And for your information, he was only allowed to call me Nanao-chan, because he could have kicked my kido master ass at any given moment. Until you can say the same, I'd stick with Ise-san."

"Told you not to make her mad, baldie," a bubbly voice cried out as Yachiru seemed to appear out of nowhere. "You should see the things she's done to Pink Man over the years, and she liked him."

"Kusajishi fukutaticho," Nanao greeted.

"You look like you got in a fight with a mud monster," Yachiru observed happily. "And lost."

"Thanks," Nanao said sarcastically.

"You should have refused to participate," Yumichika advised with a shrug.

"Not everyone is a baby like you," Yachiru shouted and lobbed a ball of mud at the pretty boy. He gave a shriek and dodged resulting in Ikkaku taking the mud directly to the face.

"You little brat," Ikkaku called, instantly scooping up mud and throwing it at her. It splattered at Nanao's feet where the girl had been standing a moment before, and the weight on Nanao's shoulder told her the girl had scrambled behind her back for protection. Yachiru stuck out her tongue over Nanao's shoulder and Nanao had to drop quickly to avoid the next firing of mud.

"Why are you all children?" Nanao yelled, chucking her own ball of mud back at Ikkaku.

"Because it's fun," Yachiru cried tackling Yumichika at the waist.

"You're dead!" the man screamed as he scrambled out of the mud puddle he'd been knocked into. The rain picked up another notch and the field dissolved into chaos as they all started chucking mud at each other.

Nanao was thoroughly drenched and mud covered as she and Yachiru entered the women's baths in the 11th division an hour later.

"Oh man, did you see when I got pretty boy, bam right in the eye?" Yachiru asked still bouncing around wildly running off the adrenaline from the mud fight.

"It was a good shot," Nanao conceded as she deftly caught the little girl and dragged the top of her uniform off her mud plastered head.

"And you got baldie right in the back of the skull with that one glob," Yachiru chattered as she climbed out of her sodden hakama. "Almost looked like he had hair for a moment."

Nanao laughed and started pulling her own uniform off, thankful that the 2nd division training had been canceled that day due to a mission. Her shoulder protested from an old injury as her sleeve got stuck and she grimaced as she tugged the top the rest of the way off.

"Oh wow!" Yachiru said bounding up on a stool to get a better look at Nanao's torso. "That bruise looks just like a bunny."

Nanao glanced down and had to admit that if she were seeing the bruise right side up it probably would look like a bunny, although it was surprising that that was the first thing Yachiru saw.

"And that big bruise next to it looks like a wolf that's about to rip it into teeny tiny bunny bits," the little girl said thoughtfully.

Ok, now that sounded about right. Nanao laughed and shook her head as she stripped down the rest of the way and led the way to the shower stalls. "Do you need help?" she asked, suddenly curious about Yachiru's hygiene habits. It wasn't like there were a lot of women in the 11th to help her. They were completely alone in the baths and come to think of it there hadn't been but one other girl in all the training sessions Nanao had participated in.

"Course I can do it alone," Yachiru stated with a huff. "I haven't had to have Ken-chan help in years."

"Of course, you're right, my mistake," Nanao said with a smile. The picture of Kenpachi helping a little girl with her bath time was an odd one in Nanao's mind. She'd helped Shunsui a few times with some of his cousin's children over the years, and for some reason she just couldn't picture Kenpachi being able to do the same. Shunsui had infinite amounts of fun taking bubbles and letting the kids make different kinds of beards on him. He'd also created some of the grandest games of battleship with their toy boats that Nanao had ever witnessed. No, when she pictured Kenpachi helping someone in the bath she pretty much pictured him dumping dishwashing soap on the kid's head and then throwing a bucket of water over them.

Nanao enjoyed the hot water of the showerhead as she meticulously scrubbed the excess mud off her flesh. Lightning lit up the windows for a moment and she waited patiently for the boom of thunder that followed. She'd always loved thunderstorms. She'd spent many of them curled up with a good book, and she thought she might do the same later tonight. Right now though, she wanted nothing more to finish washing and then relax in the hot bath water. One thing to be said for the 11th's public baths was that it didn't get very busy on the women's side.

Nanao rinsed out the last of her hair and stood up to check on Yachiru in the next stall over. The little girl had managed to get water everywhere except where she needed it the most. Currently she was trying to hit a fly with the spraying water. Nanao shot off a small kido spell and nailed the fly. It fluttered to the ground and Yachiru turned her attention back to Nanao.

"Cool, show me how," she demanded.

"I don't think Kenpachi Taicho would be too happy if I did," Nanao said smiling. "The 11th doesn't exactly approve of my kido."

"Whatever, Ken-chan wouldn't care if I did it," Yachiru stated confidently. Nanao was suddenly sure that was true. Yachiru's confidence in her ability to get away with anything could have rivaled Nanao's own childhood confidence in the same thing with her own Taicho.

"Maybe another time," Nanao conceded. "Let me get your hair."

"I said I don't need help," the little girl argued putting her hands on her hips and thus accidentally pointing the showerhead at her towel draped over a stool out of the way.

"I didn't say you did need help," Nanao replied. "I'd just like to do it."

"Is this because you aren't going to be a mom?" Yachiru asked cocking her head.

"What?" Nanao asked genuinely confused.

"I heard people saying they felt sorry for you because you wanted to be the mom of Pink Man's kids and now this other lady is doing it."

"Oh," Nanao said dumbly. Kami, could no one in the Seireitei mind their own damn business? "I didn't actually want kids."

"Ever?" Yachiru asked curiously.

Nanao used the girl's interest to her advantage and pulled the showerhead from her hand starting in on the little pink monster's hair. "Well, maybe someday, but not now."

"Why not now?"

"Because I like my job," Nanao said simply. "If I were a mom I'd have to stay home and make sure the baby was ok all the time. Not every kid is as resilient as you." In fact, she was pretty sure the word resilient didn't begin to cover it, but it was the only thing she could think to use. "You've got to feed them, and change their diapers, and make sure they don't get into trouble."

"Sounds boring," Yachiru said, slapping at Nanao's hand as she tugged at a snarl.

"Yeah, really boring," Nanao agreed, trying to make herself believe it as strongly.

"I bet brainy braid girl could make you a baby that wouldn't be so boring," Yachiru said referring to Nemu.

Nanao shuddered at the thought and tried to keep her tone neutral. "If I want children there are plenty of kids in the Rukongai that need a home. I doubt I'll need one made."

"Your brother lives in the Rukongai doesn't he?" Yachiru asked squirming in her hold. Nanao adjusted easily holding her in place. She'd gotten good at countering sneaky body movements from Shunsui constantly trying to invade her space.

"Yes he does," she said, calmly scrubbing shampoo into the girl's hair as she struggled.

"What's it like to have a brother?" Yachiru asked kicking Nanao in the shin as she tried to get away from the soap.

"It's nice," Nanao replied, dousing Yachiru's head in water. "You always have someone looking out for you and caring about you. Although you also always have someone teasing you if they're the older one."

"That's ok, I'd be the older one so it's fine," Yachiru said with a grin.

"Are you getting a sibling?" Nanao asked surprised enough to let the girl wiggle away.

"Maybe," Yachiru said going over to examine the dead fly.

"Kenpachi Taicho told you this?" Nanao asked trying to hide her own curiosity. It was a pretty well known fact that Kenpachi was too busy fighting to be getting serious with any women. Nanao just really couldn't imagine him trying to have a baby with someone, and if it was an accident Nanao wasn't sure Kenpachi would care about it at all.

"Uh huh," Yachiru said. "He said that if I tackled the right stork and got a baby I could keep it."

"What?" Nanao asked trying to follow.

"He said if I got the baby I could keep it," Yachiru said giving Nanao a look like she was clearly an idiot.

"If you tackle a stork?" Nanao repeated.

"Yeah, how else do you get a baby?" Yachiru asked calmly. "If you ask me it's really strange that the lady Pink Man's with could tackle any stork at all. If she could do it, I definitely can."

Nanao had trouble stifling her laughter as she realized Kenpachi must have told the child a slightly altered version of how the stork brings babies when Yachiru asked where they came from. "Maybe go easy on the storks," she advised. "They might be more liable to give you a baby brother or sister if you ask nicely."

"Pansy storks," Yachiru said stomping back over. "Let's go to the baths."

"Not till we get the mud out from under your nails," Nanao said with a stern look. Then she scooped the kid up and scrubbed her all over again.

Nanao lingered in the hot bath water for longer than she usually would. For one thing it made her entire body ache a little less and for another it seemed like the perfect way to wait out a rainstorm. If she was honest, she was kind of enjoying the fact that she didn't have normal working hours. She could do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted. If she chose to go out to the Rukongai in the evenings it wasn't a big deal. The Soutaicho had told her to do the job however she thought was best and frankly today she thought lounging in the baths was best.

Yachiru was also enjoying herself running around and jumping in and out of the warm bath water. She'd apparently had a toy box stored on the side and now the giant public bath was full of boats, pirate ships, and sea creatures. Given the pirate ships and the sea creatures were winning. Nanao briefly wondered how much of Kenpachi's paycheck went to re-supplying the girl with toy civilian boats for her to sink. Nanao had even obliged Yachiru the few times she asked for storm waves, sending pressurized kido under the water to make the ships bob dangerously up and down on the artificial waves.

When it was finally time to get out Nanao was seriously wondering if she could fit in a nap before she went to Hisagi's training session. She also was planning on getting him to go easy on her today if only not to destroy this beautiful clean relaxed feeling. Kuchiki had called off their shunpo lesson as well because of some family matter and Nanao couldn't be happier. One class to get through and then the weekend, which she fully intended on spending out in the Rukongai riding horses and helping Shin teach a medical kido class. She'd tried to get him to allow her to bring someone from the 4th to help, but he'd begged off saying one shinigami was bad enough.

"Come on," Nanao said impulsively. "Get your comb and I'll do your hair in braids if you like."

"Why?" Yachiru asked cocking her head as Nanao secured a towel around herself.

"You don't have to," Nanao said with a shrug. "I just always used to like it when people did my hair." By people she really meant Yadomaru Lisa, who used to take Nanao with her to the baths when she was younger. Lisa had been the first one to pin Nanao's hair up in different childish styles, and it had been one of the reasons Nanao had worn it up for years after she was gone. It was always just a small reminder of the woman, who besides being a hardened fighter, had small moments of pure human kindness.

"Fine," Yachiru said after a moment of thought. "But it better not look stupid."

"You can take it out if it does," Nanao said with a laugh as the little pink haired ball of energy went scampering off through the locker room.

Nanao sighed happily as she combed her own hair out, and started humming a raunchy ballad that Yadomaru used to sing. Not that she'd had any idea what it meant when she was a child. Shunsui had nearly laughed himself to death when she'd sung it at a private 8th memorial for Lisa a year after her disappearance. Despite not knowing what was so humorous she'd been happy to give him something to smile about on such a depressing day.

Nanao nearly screamed when the locker room door flew open and a big hulking figure entered the room accompanied by a crack of thunder. She was crouched and defensive with kido glowing around her before she'd even fully realized she'd moved.

"It's frigging pouring out there," Kenpachi complained while shaking off water like a big drenched dog.

"Kenpachi Taicho," Nanao said in surprise letting the kido burn out. The water had drenched his hair and instead of its normal spikes it hung long down his back, the sad little bells dangling precariously from the ends. "Er, you do know this is the women's baths right?"

"Course I know its the frigging women's bathroom," he said irritably. "What? You think I can't read?"

"No," Nanao placated quickly. "Just curious as to why you're here." She shifted uncomfortable and tried to jerk the too short towel down further over her legs before realizing all that did was expose more of her chest. Kami, this was uncomfortable.

"You two were taking too freaking long," he said in a matter of fact tone. "I had to talk to you and I've got other things to do."

"Me?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, heard you nearly killed my 3rd seat this morning," he said with a shrug.

"Oh, well he started it," she said and then felt like slapping herself. What kind of defense was he started it?

"Yeah, yeah, still I'm supposed to deal with it apparently," Kenpachi grumbled. "The old man says too many people die in the 11th when we're not on duty and I'm supposed to do something about it."

"Well, he's not dead," Nanao pointed out.

"I guess I'm supposed to give out warnings or some such shit," Kenpachi said. "I say you can't survive your own squad you shouldn't be on the field. Although you were cheating with that kido bullshit."

"That effective kido bullshit," she said defensively. "Regardless of what I used, he still would have been dead."

"Whatever," Kenpachi growled sitting down on a bench and shrugging his captain's cloak off before dragging his sodden uniform top over his head and ringing it out. "Just don't kill anyone. I've got enough crap paperwork to go through without you adding to the pile."

"You do your own paperwork?" Nanao blurted shocked.

"Like I said, think I can't read?" he asked dangerously.

"No," Nanao said, "I just assumed you had your lower seats do it all."

"I'm not Kyouraku," Kenpachi said, and Nanao winced at the low blow.

"Ken-chan!" Yachiru shrieked rounding the corner with her brush in hand. "You have to see the big yacht boat you got for me. I destroyed it good. Bam almost in two!" The little girl shoved the comb into Nanao's hand and shot off around the corner again.

"Weren't you all in a mud fight?" Kenpachi asked looking after the child with a confused look.

"Yes, what about it?" Nanao asked.

"It's just that she's clean," he stated.

"Yeah," Nanao replied. "We are in the baths for that reason." Saying it again made her conscious all over of the fact that she was in a thin towel next to a shirtless man in the women's rooms.

Kenpachi gave her an annoyed look and said, "It generally takes a few baths and a few days for her to entirely get the mud off."

"Yeah, well you pretty much have to tackle her and strangle hold her down, but it can be done," she said with a laugh.

Kenpachi gave a grunt in return and looked in the direction the little girl had run off in and sighed. "Thanks," he grunted.

"It was nothing," Nanao said with a shrug.

"I'm not blind," he said glancing over at her. "She drives most people nuts."

"She's a little girl," Nanao said with a smile. "They all tend to do that. I'm sure I drove Yadomaru fukutaicho a little crazy with how much I liked to trail after her. I'd say the same about Kyouraku Taicho, but then again our maturity levels were much more on par when I was a child."

Kenpachi just grunted again and stood up glaring at his hair in a nearby mirror. Yachiru tore around the corner a moment later and held up her smashed up toy with pride. He took it from her and examined it closely before launching into a discussion on how the thing could have been better smashed to bits. Nanao watched them quietly and was surprised that she found the little scene sweet in its own morbid way. It was no wonder Yachiru adored her 'Ken-chan' with the undivided attention he provided her with. No candies to shut her up, just honest interested attention. It took her a moment to realize they were both staring at her.

"Hmm?" she asked.

"The fly killer lady was really spaced out," Yachiru commented with a giggle. "I asked if you could fix Ken-chan."

"Oh, um," Nanao stammered glancing at the man and trying to figure out what the girl was saying.

"It takes him forever to get it hard when he does it on his own," Yachiru said cutting off Kenpachi as he started to argue.

Nanao sat there in dumb shock trying desperately to process what the child was saying. "I don't know that-"

"He's always yelling like an animal by the end," Yachiru said. "Please?"

"I don't need her," Kenpachi said grumpily.

"Come on," Yachiru said grabbing his hand and dragging him over to where Nanao sat on the bench. "You said you'd do my hair, but Ken-chan's needs a lot more help."

Nanao sighed with relief, but quickly froze in surprise again when the little girl promptly forced the giant man to sit down on the ground in front of Nanao right between her legs. Nanao quickly slammed a hand down on the towel between her now parted thighs and could only thank kami that Kenpachi was faced the other way otherwise he'd have gotten an eyeful.

"You don't have to," the man growled grumpily from the floor.

"Er, it's fine," she said, scrambling quickly to her knees on the bench behind him. The towel fell down her legs and she sighed a bit in relief. He was so tall anyway that she needed to be higher on the bench.

"Here," Yachiru said, having retrieved a bottle of hair gel.

"Thanks," Nanao said dumbly, wondering how she managed to get herself into these kinds of situations. She nearly laughed though when she glanced down at the hulking man in front of her and clearly saw that he was sulking, his arms crossed over his still bare torso.

She smiled internally and suddenly decided to just go with the flow. Her fingers quickly worked through his hair pulling out the dangling little bells and placing them on the bench next to her for safekeeping. She was surprised to find his hair much softer and well cared for then she would have imagined. Yachiru had darted back off through the locker room to put the broken toy back and it was silent for a minute.

"You don't have to do this," he repeated.

"It's no problem," she said with a small laugh. "But won't the rain just ruin it again?"

"Yachiru keeps an umbrella in here," he said with a shrug. Her eyes were drawn down by the action and she stopped herself from asking where he'd picked up one particularly nasty looking scar. She dragged a brush through his wet locks and smiled as she heard Yachiru burst into an old song somewhere in the baths.

He showed her how to do one of his lower spikes. He had to correct her form a few times as she worked, once reaching up to physically adjust her hand and she jumped without meaning to.

"Don't like to be touched?" he asked.

"Not particularly," she said nonchalantly.

"How the hell'd you put up with Kyouraku?"

"He was," she paused to think about the right word and then said, "rather insistent."

Kenpachi snorted. "He as good a lay as the women like to screech about?"

She stopped in surprise for a moment and then blushed. "I don't really think that's any of your business."

"Didn't mean to piss you off," he said with a shrug. "Just curious what all the fuss is about."

"Why?" she asked feeling mean. "You interested?"

Kenpachi surprised her again by laughing outright at that. "I'd break him in two. Trust me when I say whatever he can do, I can do better."

"Is this the point where you ask me if I want to find out first hand?" Nanao asked in disgust.

He chuckled again. "You ain't really my type. All tiny, delicate, and proper. I like a girl that can handle a good spanking."

"You saying I can't?" she demanded offended before she could really think about what she was asking.

He smirked up at her in the mirror across from them and growled, "You saying you want to prove you can? It'd probably piss Kyouraku off which is what you're doing with all this training shit right?"

"I'm not doing this to piss him off," she said. "I know everyone thinks that, but I'm doing this for myself."

"Then I guess you're just coming on to me for fun?" he asked.

"I'm not coming on to you," she defended, but had finally heard the humor in his voice and let the subject drop. Yachiru came bounding back into the room and bounced up onto the bench next to Nanao.

"Can I hand you bells?" she asked.

"Sure," Nanao said accepting the first one from the little girl.

"Can we get ice cream later, Ken-chan?"

"Sure," he said with a shrug.

"Can hair lady come too?"

"Sure," he said with another uncaring shrug. "If she wants."

"Well?" Yachiru said expectantly.

Nanao glanced at the clock and was shocked at how late it had gotten. "Oh I would, but I have to meet Hisagi-san in a half hour. Rain check?" She placed the last bell on his tallest spike and smiled at her handiwork. It wasn't perfect, but it was passable.

"Yeah," Yachiru said, examining Kenpachi's hair. He stood up and frowned at his still sopping wet shirt. He ended up balling up the fabric and tugging just his white Taicho's haori back around his shoulders. "I'll get my umbrella," the little girl announced happily and bounced away once more.

"Sorry your hair isn't perfect," Nanao said for lack of anything better to say.

He shrugged and glanced at her again. "You know, you ain't half bad for an 8th woman," he said after a moment of contemplation.

"Thanks I suppose," she said, once more not sure how to react.

"And not a half bad pair of stems either," he said with a lurid grin as he swept his eyes over her towel clad form again.

Nanao blushed and was about to tell him off as Yachiru sprung back around the corner with a bright pink polka dot umbrella. Nanao bit her tongue and stopped herself from dropping a nasty word or two, not that Yachiru probably hadn't heard it before, but simply to maintain some professionalism.

"See you later, hair lady," Yachiru said joyfully as she scrambled up onto Kenpachi's back. Nanao had to stifle a laugh as the little girl held the childish umbrella over herself and the hulking man's head.

"Bye," Nanao called as the exited the baths. She shook her head at the insanity that was her life and changed quickly, wondering how she was going to make it to the 9th without getting soaked all over again. At least the rain was letting up some, maybe with shunpo she'd just be mildly damp.

* * *

A/N: This chapter was just super fun to write. Fair warning that I might not be able to get out a chapter this coming week as I am moving and my computer has to go into the shop. The return button busted and it makes writing somewhat difficult :(

Anyhoo, hopefully they won't have my computer for too long and I can still get something out. Also thanks for all the b-day wishes! Review please!


	23. Storms

She lay on the ground and watched the rain pound against the windows of the darkened practice room. The storm had died down for about an hour, just enough for her to make it to the 9th, and then raged back into full force in the middle of her training session.

"Now," Hisagi announced next to her, and right on cue a bolt of lightning ripped through the air and illuminated the room. Nanao smiled and was glad she'd talked him out of a hard training session. Not that it'd been particularly difficult. He was pretty happy not to spend his lunch break training too.

"You should put that on your list of skills when you're up for a raise," she said. "Can always tell when a lightning strike is coming, even with eyes closed."

Hisagi lifted the arm off his face and blinked his eyes open. "I know, right?" he said with a grin. "It is a highly useful talent."

"I'm sure it's saved many a life," Nanao said mock seriously.

"You have no idea," he answered. "Old ladies and children everywhere rest easier at night knowing I have this particular skill."

"I've heard rumors that it's why they made you a fukutaicho originally," Nanao said conspiratorially.

"Yes, I demonstrated my unique talent on the field while blindfolded and they simply had to promote me up through the ranks," he answered gravely.

"The Gotei 13 is the better for it," she replied trying not to crack a smile as she pushed herself up into a sitting position.

"You're bleeding," he said suddenly, breaking their joking banter.

Nanao glanced down at herself and saw that she was indeed bleeding from a cut at the top of her wrist. "Damn, must have reopened," she commented glaring at the offending injury. She'd gotten it from brushing too close to a window ledge she'd misjudged during one of her shunpo training sessions and had thought it was healed up by now. She stood up and walked over to her bag looking for the bandages she now kept on hand.

"Since when did kido healing become illegal?" Hisagi asked. He was lucky that his question was not accompanied by a condescending tone.

"It didn't," she said with a shrug as she found the bandages. "The Yakuza just don't use it on smaller injuries so I'm trying to get used to it. Used to be, I'd get a paper cut and Kyouraku Taicho would tie me up and drag me to the 4th."

"Do what you like," Hisagi said walking over to her and grabbing her hand to look at her wrist more closely. "But I doubt healing one little bleeder will get you in too much trouble."

"You start that it never stops," she stated, uncomfortably aware of his warm hands on her skin.

"True enough, I suppose," he said letting the hand go. Nanao tried hard not to miss the warmth. She quickly smeared some coagulate powder on the wound and ignored the sting as she focused on wrapping it again. "Do you want to get dinner tonight?"

Nanao's head snapped up in surprise, and she looked over at him to make sure he'd actually asked the question. He stood calmly awaiting an answer, and Nanao felt nervous suddenly. It wasn't that the offer was a bad one. She'd enjoy getting dinner with him, but as much as it'd gotten easier over the passing days, it still just felt strange and vaguely wrong. Saying yes would mean the end, well and truly on her part at least, and she was horrified to realize that some part of her had been clinging to the fact that this was all just some bad bump in the road and that someday she'd be able to crawl back into Shunsui's arms.

"Just as friends," Hisagi threw out anxiously as he watched her face, which to him had gone stone cold. Kyouraku would have known it to be how she covered up internal conflicts, but all it did for Hisagi was make him think he'd stepped dangerously over a line. "I know it's still too soon, but I do like spending time with you."

Nanao felt the relief flood her and shoved the feeling to the back of her mind to analyze at a later time. "Sure, I guess," she said feeling her heartbeat return to normal. "I don't have any plans tonight."

"Perfect," he said with a smile. "Meet me at 8 around the South gate and we can decide from there?"

"Sounds good," she said simply.

"Did you want to do anymore swordplay today?" he asked switching the subject almost as if he feared she'd suddenly change her mind.

"Sure," she said with a shrug. "Let's just go easy if you don't mind?"

"No problem," he said with a laugh. "Although we should probably start with our shikais soon enough."

Nanao flinched and said maybe hoping she could get around it. She didn't want anyone having too much experience with her shikai if she could help it. It'd bring up all sorts of questions she wasn't prepared to answer. Besides as far as physical swordplay went her shikai wasn't going to help her at all.

The next half hour was spent on halfhearted training and Nanao was more than happy to head home in the lessening rain. Boo greeted her at the door and she crawled into bed mid afternoon to take a nap. As she drifted off to sleep she couldn't help wondering what Shunsui would say if he found her napping in the middle of the day. Probably something about how proud he was that he'd done a good job training her after all. She snorted at the thought and snuggled down further thinking Kyouraku was probably doing the same on his office couch or in his own home.

They hadn't replaced her as a fukutaicho yet, so he probably didn't even bother to go in to work. Not that she'd heard the 8th had suddenly fallen into any more chaos than normal. In fact Rangiku said it seemed the 8th was even turning in its paperwork in a somewhat timely fashion. Perhaps one result of the breakup was that they flipped personalities, she mused. Nanao didn't know whether to laugh or be pissed that he could have done way more to help her all those years. Not that she hadn't been aware that he was capable, she just never thought she'd see the day were that capability was actually put into action. It was raining today though, so regardless he probably was sleeping. Shunsui never missed a good nap during a rainstorm. Nanao had even been badgered into joining him for a few of those naps over the past year and a half. She smiled sleepily and allowed herself to drift off.

Nanao woke up with a start a couple hours later trying to identify where she was. Her beating heart slowed down as she realized she was in her own room and the rain had let up although it was still cloudy and dark outside her window. She sat up in bed feeling sticky from sweat and assumed she must have had a bad dream that was already forgotten. Sighing, she kicked her legs off the bed and stretched as she got to her feet. Boo gave a disgruntled noise at all the jostling and stood up to re-circle his place in her blankets and then, with a one eyed glare in her direction, settled down to sleep again. Nanao just laughed and glanced at her clock realizing she had two hours to kill before her date, er dinner, with Hisagi.

She padded around her apartment reading a few pages from her book and drinking some tea before finally deciding to hop in the shower and get ready for the evening. Without Matsumoto there to encourage her she picked an outfit far less daring, but still more fun that her usual uniform. She glanced in the mirror and made a face growing more and more uncomfortable as the time crept closer.

It wasn't that she didn't like Hisagi, it was just that this felt much like the feeling she used to get on all those forced blind dates Matsumoto set her up on. She'd kind of been hoping that after going out with Shunsui for a while she'd gotten better at the whole dating game, but frankly there was none of the warmth and easy excitement that she was used to feeling when planning on meeting up with Shunsui. Right now she just felt clammy and anxious and was pretty sure she was going to say something vastly inappropriate just due to nerves. It was a bad habit with her.

She'd once told a man about a study the 12th had been doing on male genitalia size in comparison to the length of one's zanpaktou, which sort of operated on a big hands, big feet, big zanpaktou concept, as an opening conversation on a blind date. She hadn't realized at the time that much like her, the man had had a tanto as a zanpaktou. It'd been a short-lived dinner and Kyouraku had appeared the second the man was gone laughing hard as he'd apparently been in the next booth over spying and eavesdropping on her the whole time. She'd spent the rest of the evening with her Taicho discussing the newest batch of studies the 12th had released and couldn't even remember her would-be date's name anymore. Kyouraku had been the one who had ended up walking her home that night and had picked her up to go to brunch the next day. Oh well, no time to dwell on the past, now or never, she told herself firmly.

Walking out the door she glanced up at the sky and wondered if the rain really wasn't done and if she should go back for an umbrella. Shrugging she finally decided to risk it. She made it to the South Gate with five minutes to spare and couldn't help smiling at her own improved shunpo and the fact that it hadn't winded her in the least. Maybe tonight wouldn't be so bad after all. She leaned against the wall and waited for Hisagi to show.

"Thank god it's the weekend," she heard as two shinigami neared the gate.

"Yeah, it was nice to get out early too," one of the men said nodding.

His friend laughed and said, "Well what do you expect when we're scheduled to have cross divisional training with the 13th? I swear to kami their Taicho is sick more than he's healthy, and the whole division falls apart when he is because they don't have a fukutaicho, and his third seats are nuts."

"Guess we're lucky he came down with something today," the other man replied with a shrug. "We should probably enjoy it while we can. Once the Taicho dies they'll probably replace him with some hard ass who'll make cross divisional training hell, like when we have to work with the 2nd."

Nanao had felt the color drain from her face about five seconds into their conversation and she stepped into the path of the oncoming shinigami. "Excuse me," she said feeling ill. "Are you both talking about Ukitake Taicho? Is he sick again?"

"Yeah our training was canceled because of it," one man said with a shrug.

"He's in the 4th?" she asked absentmindedly, but the answer hardly mattered as she'd already begun searching for them with her reiatsu. Both Jyuushiro and Shunsui were in the 4th, and while Jyuushiro's reiatsu was weak, Shunsui's was jumping all over like an agitated bull. She didn't even hear the shinigamis' response before she was bolting headlong for the 4th.

She threw the doors open when she got there and got a few questioning looks, which quickly went away as healers recognized her. It was a well known fact that if she, Shunsui, or Jyuushiro were in the 4th the other two were closely in tow. She scanned the area again and quickly made a beeline for Shunsui. He was pacing around the waiting room looking white against the black of his uniform. His hat and pink haori were entirely missing and his white Taicho haori hung over the edge of a bench stained down the side with drying blood.

"Shunsui," she said and could hear the terror in her own tone, which she'd been unable to mask. Jyuushiro's reiatsu was weak even from this close proximity and it frightened her badly.

His head snapped around and his anxious eyes found her at the doorway. Before she could even think about it she'd thrown herself in his arms and he was returning the hug just as ferociously. "What happened?" she mumbled into his chest.

"He had to run some paperwork around the Seireitei today and got caught in the second rain burst," Shunsui explained clinging to her, and his own desperation swirled around her in the thick reiatsu he just couldn't currently control. "He stopped by the 8th last and thank kami I was there, I made him stay, but the running and the chill just did him in this time. He was doing ok and after the tea I thought everything was going to be alright and then, it just wasn't."

"What's Unohana Taicho have to say?" she asked trying to be the logical unemotional one, although she never quite succeeded in being that person when it was Shunsui or Jyuushiro who was hurt. She'd often seen that as a flaw in herself. Lisa had always been cool and collected even when those closest to her were lying prone in the 4th.

"I haven't seen her since they took him in, and no one seems to know anything!" he said, yelling the last part at a passing healer. The little man gave a strangled squeak and scampered off down the hall fleeing Kyouraku's reiatsu.

"Knock it off," she commanded letting her old fukutaicho self take over. "You're going to mess up the healing spells throwing that kind of reiatsu around and then you'll be kicked out. Come on." She grabbed his hand and made him sit down next to her, careful to sit then on the bench side farthest away from the bloodied haori. Shunsui looked miserable, but made a visible effort to get his reiatsu back under control. "We'll wait, just like always. Jyuushiro-san's pulled through a hundred times before. He will again."

"You didn't see him, Nanao," Shunsui replied gloomily. "It was bad."

"I'm going to see what I can find out," she said standing up, but was quickly stopped when he didn't release his hold on her hand.

"They don't know anything," he said sounding like a hurt child. "Stay. Please."

"Of course," she said with a nod, settling down next to him again. She remembered the first time Jyuushiro had gotten sick after Lisa left. She'd been at a loss on what to do for her Taicho and had ended up simply crawling into his lap and eventually falling asleep there. It was always in these moments that Shunsui was at his weakest, and she leaned into his side if only to let him know she was still there and always would be. They sat in silence for a half hour watching 4th division members come and go, and Nanao wondered vaguely if she shouldn't try to track someone down with answers now. It was taking an awfully long time.

"He needs a fukutaicho," Shunsui said out of the blue.

"What?" Nanao asked.

"Jyuu, he needs a fukutaicho," Shunsui said. "He shouldn't have been running those papers around in the rain and his third seats are too scatterbrained to do much of it."

"Speaking of them, where are they?" Nanao glanced around as if they'd suddenly pop up.

"I ordered them back to run the damn division," he said angrily. "I know it wasn't their faults, but I just couldn't stand to have them here."

Nanao took a deep breath and unconsciously used her thumb to run soft circles over his palm where they still held on to each other. "You should apologize after this is all over," she said softly. "You know they love him too."

Shunsui shifted unhappily, all of his body just as tense as when she'd come in, but he didn't deny it. "He's been waiting for Kuchiki to let Rukia-chan take the position. That or he would have taken you. All of this could have been avoided." She gave him a sharp look and he clarified, "I'm not blaming you for not taking the job. It isn't your responsibility, he just needs to stop being so damn picky and get a fukutaicho."

"Lie down," she said suddenly. He gave her a quizzical look and she repeated herself. Finally he shrugged and stretched out on the bench putting his head in her lap. Her skillful fingers started running through his hair and rubbing his head. It was an action she'd learned long ago tended to sooth him when he worked himself into a tizzy. She'd often used it as a tactic when he got sick or wounded, but like a child didn't want to stay in bed. "You aren't any use to anyone all worked up," she stated calmly. "What happened can't be undone. We'll just wait until Jyuushiro is better, and then you will take him on an ill-advised drinking trip like always and both Unohana Taicho and I will scold you both like always."

Shunsui snorted and she was glad she'd gotten at least that much humor out of him. After a moment he said quietly, "I can't lose you both."

Her fingers stopped moving momentarily and then she continued. "You aren't losing either one of us," she said softly. "Jyuushiro-san is going to get better and the two of you will be up to your old antics in no time, and as for me, well I'm not going anywhere. I'm still right here."

"It's not the same," he said simply, which was the honest truth and she didn't deny. "Maybe you could talk to Kuchiki? You've been training with him, right?"

"I can," she said thinking about it. "I don't think my words carry too much weight with him, but I could try. Rukia-san really would be a good fukutaicho given the opportunity, although he might prefer her in the 8th."

"Why's that?" Shunsui asked surprised. "Kuchiki doesn't have any fondness for me."

Nanao laughed lightly. "No, but he knows what the 8th's fukutaicho position means. It's a lot of deskwork and very little danger. The 13th's on the other hand is almost like occasionally taking on a co-Taichoship. He wants Rukia safe at the end of the day so the 8th would be a good compromise. She'd get all of the prestige with none of the danger."

"Was I that awful?" he asked sounding tired.

"You were never awful," she answered honestly. "It was what it was, and it worked for the time. Not wanting your subordinates to get hurt or be unhappy isn't something to be ashamed of."

"But you left," he said.

"I had to," she said quietly. "And we both know it didn't have anything to do with the position, but I am happy now. I miss the 8th more than I probably should, but kami Shunsui it feels good to be doing something more. I like the training, and I like the Rukongai, and I like not worrying about the stupid interdivisional training schedule."

"You don't feel trapped anymore," he supplied haltingly. "Like I felt when I first got away from my family."

She gave a good hard yank on his hair and he gave a little grunt of pain. "Listen to me right now," she said angrily. "I never felt trapped. If I hadn't been happy I would have left. I didn't say this was better it's just different. Yes, you were smothering at times, well actually you were smothering often, but you were never your family and you aren't your father or your brother."

"I kept making you do what I thought was best for you," he said miserably, and she realized he must have been brooding about this since their last fight. "Just like they did to me."

"Excuse me," she said frostily. "Making me? Ha. You couldn't make me do anything I didn't want to do. Cajole and annoy into doing it yes, but make me, no way. You aren't your family. You always did what you thought would best keep me happy and safe. Your family always did what was best for them not for you. If you insist on continuing this idiotic train of thought I'm going to have to show you just how little you could have forced me to do anything. You may be a Taicho, but I wouldn't go down without a fight."

"I could never fight my Nanao-chan," he said with a sigh, rolling over to hug around her waist and bury his face in her stomach.

"You aren't them," she said softly, trailing a finger over his temple, and knowing the fear of turning into your parents only too well. "And Jyuushiro and I aren't going anywhere."

"I love you," he murmured against her and she felt the words rumble through her skin.

"I love you too," she replied easily. "That's never been in question." They stayed like that content in the silence for quite some time.

"Kyouraku-san, Ise-san," Unohana greeted tiredly as she stepped into the waiting room. If she was surprised to see them together she didn't show it. She'd probably seen grief bring all sorts of people together over the years.

"How is he?" Shunsui asked sitting up at attention instantly.

"Weak, but alive," Unohana said. "It seems he had a little virus brewing for the past week or so and then the chill and the running just set it off. We have him in stable condition right now, and if he makes it until morning, which is likely, he should recover as much as he can. Your preemptive stabilizing spells while you got him here probably saved his life."

"They're not as good as Nanao's," he said shaking his head and feeling useless.

"They were good enough," Unohana said kindly. "We've put him in his usual room with the extra bed if you'd like to stay. We'll be keeping a close eye on him throughout the night though, so it's really unnecessary."

"I'll stay," Shunsui said, which they'd all already known.

"As you wish," Unohana said. "Do you need me to?"

"No, I know the way," he said gloomily.

"I'll be checking in personally in an hour or so," Unohana said with a quick nod. "If you'll excuse me."

They both said their thanks and stood up. Nanao quickly balled up his Haori so the blood wasn't showing and followed after him as he led down the hall.

"You don't have to stay," he said quietly, and Nanao knew that with every fiber of his being he didn't want her to leave. He always did decide to use social niceties and formalities at the strangest points in time.

"I want to," she said simply, which was the truth. He simply nodded and they both stepped into the room to see Jyuushiro hooked up to monitoring machines and breathing tubes. Nanao pressed closer to Shunsui's side as they both paused a moment and then stepped away to deposit her soiled bundle on the most uncomfortable chair in the room which neither of them liked to use. "I'm going to get some water and food from the mess hall. Do you want anything?" she asked, knowing she should give the two some time alone even if Jyuushiro wasn't conscious.

"Not hungry," he answered standing forlornly next to his best friend's bed.

"I'll be back in a minute," she said and walked out. She'd pick some food up for him all the same and force him to eat it later. Once he was satisfied that Jyuushiro wasn't just going to drop dead he usually got his hunger back and by then the mess hall would be closed.

She took her time and found a willing 4th division member to pass along Ukitake's status to his division and third seats. She couldn't entirely blame Shunsui for not wanting them there. They both had good sweet hearts, but were occasionally too much to handle. Besides it was against 4th rules to let anyone stay after visiting hours. Unohana only gave Ukitake and Kyouraku the special privilege and Nanao had merely received it as a side thought, and even she wasn't always allowed to stay like the two of them were. She made her way back to the room carrying a tray of food that would keep though the night and two hot mugs of tea. It wasn't the best food ever, but it would do.

Shunsui was sitting next to the unconscious man when she entered the room, and Nanao nodded to him quietly putting the tray down on the small little table. She grabbed the extra tea and pushed it into his hands.

"He seems to be breathing ok," Shunsui said worriedly as he watched his best friend's chest rise and fall.

"Yeah," Nanao agreed, having been here enough times to know that while the breathing was weak it wasn't labored like it so often was. "I'm sure he'll be alright. Have his siblings been contacted?"

"Yes," Shunsui replied leaning back and popping his back. "But Yuki-chan-chan went into labor a few hours ago. I told them to stay with her, that he'd pull through. He so wanted to be there too."

"He'll see the baby when it's less red and wrinkly," Nanao said with a comforting laugh. "They'll more than likely have a family reunion out at the Ugendo estate. I'm sure you'll have one more child yelling for Uncle Shunsui in no time."

"One day he's not going to get better," Shunsui said ignoring her attempts to raise his mood while morosely looking down at his friend. Nanao didn't argue, as it was a simple fact of life.

"But not today," she finally said softly, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder and letting him cover it with his own for a moment before finally taking up the other chair in the room. They sat quietly in the room for another half hour or so, and Nanao was almost dozing off when he spoke again.

"You look nice," he commented, and she realized he'd been looking at her over the bed. "Were you going out to the Rukongai?"

"Thanks," she said instinctively glancing down at herself. Seeing the skirt and the cute top suddenly jogged her memory. "Shit."

"What?" he asked with a bit of panic, looking at Jyuushiro as if trying to identify what she had seen.

"No nothing, I just totally forgot I was supposed to meet someone," she said. "I heard about Jyuushiro-san and I rushed right over without thinking. Too late to do anything about it now."

Shunsui grunted his understanding and then a few minutes later couldn't help himself. "Was it a date?"

"It was dinner with a friend," she said firmly.

"Hisagi, Kuchiki, or Kenpachi?" Shunsui asked in a dull tone.

"Hisagi," she said evenly. "What would Kuchiki-san or Kenpachi Taicho want to do with me?"

"Heard Kuchiki was out front of the 8th feeling you up pretty well and half the Seireitei thinks you and Kenpachi had sex in the women's baths this morning," he said with a shrug trying to act like he didn't care. "Heard about it after lunch."

"Everyone needs to mind their own damn business," Nanao growled. "Kuchiki-san is just helping me with my shunpo, not feeling me up, and Kenpachi Taicho just came to collect Yachiru-chan."

"You can go apologize to Hisagi now if you like," Shunsui said. "I'm sure he'll forgive you when you explain."

"Stop being a child. I'm not going anywhere," she said decisively. "And he will forgive me whenever I tell him or else he's a waste of time and not a very good friend at all."

"I don't think he's so worried about being your friend," Shunsui grumbled.

"Just because a man talks to me doesn't automatically mean he's trying to get into my hakamas," Nanao said rolling her eyes.

"Not automatically no," Shunsui agreed folding his arms across his chest. "But Hisagi _is_ trying to get into your hakamas, and that's just a fact."

"I don't need to defend myself or him to you," Nanao said with a sigh.

"No, you don't," he agreed sadly. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat and glanced back at Jyuushiro. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have asked. Forget it. Thank you for coming despite your plans."

"Always," she said simply. "Family comes first."

"I'm just not good at being helpless," Shunsui said morosely and Nanao wasn't sure if he was referencing Jyuushiro's illness or her dating. It was probably a bit of both.

"I know," she agreed quietly. "I understand the feeling."

After a few moments of silence Shunsui finally asked, "Want to play a game of Go?"

She agreed if only to escape the awkwardness. It was one thing when they were both terrified for Jyuushiro, it pushed everything to the back, but when they were just waiting for him to wake up everything started bubbling up again. What she hated most of all was that she was somewhat glad for the excuse to be with them both, and she knew that was a sick thought to have when one of the most important people in her life was lying in a hospital bed.

* * *

**A/N: Did you guys miss me? Glad you all like the last chapter at least! Sorry for the long delay. Moving was nuts and then my mom was in town visiting. As much as I love fanfiction, moms always come first :)**

**Hope you enjoyed it!**


	24. Recovery

Nanao was asleep on the extra bed behind him. He'd finally talked her into sleeping about an hour and a half ago after their third game of Go and her constant yawning. He'd almost laughed out loud when she'd petulantly told him she wasn't tired and she'd lie down and close her eyes to make him happy, but she wouldn't fall asleep. Some things never change.

Shunsui glanced at the machines monitoring his friend and was glad to see everything was steady. A 4th division member had stopped by to check on him every hour on the hour after Retsu's first initial visit, but Shunsui had spent so much time here he'd learned what most of the machines read and what was normal. Retsu often joked that if he ever wanted to quit being a Taicho she'd give him the night shift at the 4th. He'd always replied honestly that the only things he knew were the things Jyuushiro needed, and he'd be quite useless as a whole. Besides who wanted his ugly mug as a nurse?

He still remembered the first time in academy when he'd had to rush his friend to the 4th. The healers had actually had to sedate him because his reiatsu had been panicking every which way, but at the time he hadn't known what else to do when his friend had doubled over and started coughing uncontrollably to the point where he wasn't just coughing blood but basically throwing it up due to the force that wracked his body. It had taken the two of them a while to get back on even footing after that one. Shunsui had become overprotective and smothering for weeks to the point where Jyuushiro had had to literally scream at him for behaving like his mother. When the screaming hadn't gotten though to him, Jyuushiro had literally attacked him which had devolved into a fist fight that'd nearly killed Shunsui as he'd at first refused to participate for fear of hurting his friend. His refusal to fight had been an insane reaction because they'd been practicing together for years already at that point, but witnessing Jyuushiro's fit and changed him, made him afraid.

It wasn't until Jyuushiro had demanded to know how he was supposed to convince anyone else he was worthwhile when his own best friend thought he was useless that Shunsui'd given any response besides just taking the beating. For one he'd never been called anyone's best friend before, for another he knew how horrible feeling useless was. So he'd punched Jyuushiro. They'd beaten each other up until it was clear there would be no real winner and then they'd both laid panting and bleeding in the dirt.

"You aren't useless," Shunsui had said finally.

"I am if everyone coddles me," Jyuushiro had replied.

"We care about you so we worry," Shunsui'd explained simply.

"I'm aware," Jyuushiro had said. "But frankly I'm more afraid of living my entire life in a cage than dying outside of it."

That was a feeling Shunsui had also known only too well. "Am I really your best friend?" he'd asked changing the topic.

"Unfortunately, it would appear so," Jyuushiro'd answered.

"Does this mean I have even more responsibilities?" he'd asked. "Like I'm going to have to start telling you when I'm going out and when I'll be home?"

"Its not like were dating," Jyuushiro'd said rolling his eyes.

"Ok," Shunsui had answered. "I've never had a best friend before."

"Not surprising," Jyuushiro had said dryly.

"I'm going to beat the crap out of you," Shunsui had announced getting to his feet. Jyuushiro had bolted and Shunsui had followed eventually tackling him into a Koi pond. The sensei that owned the Koi pond hadn't been particularly happy with them and they'd gotten detention for a week, but it had at least settled a few things for them in their own way.

Shunsui had never stopped worrying though, and Jyuushiro had eventually had to accept that as part of his personality. If anything it'd gotten a bit worse as they grew older and became even more integral to each other's lives. Even now sitting next to his friend in the early morning hours knowing he'd more than likely recover once again, Shunsui couldn't entirely fight off the panic that welled up in him. Losing Jyuushiro would not be something he'd bounce back from. Jyuushiro was more family than his own family was and if he died a chunk of Shunsui's own soul would go with him. They'd made a promise once when they were both gloriously smashed after a particularly gruesome battle that they'd die at the same time so that when they were reincarnated they would be sure to find each other once again. Shunsui didn't even know if Jyuushiro had been sober enough to remember that promise, probably not or he never would have made it assuming his own premature death would force Shunsui into an early grave, but Shunsui remembered it clearly. The only thing that'd changed his mind recently about any of it was the possibility that that would leave Nanao alone. He stared down at his friend's limp hand and wondered how he would continue on without him or if he even could.

"I must have been really close to dying this time," Jyuushiro rasped out, causing Shunsui to snap his head up and see his friend was awake.

"How do you figure that?" Shunsui asked quietly, trying to quell the overwhelming flood of relief that nearly had him in tears.

"Well, I think that's Nanao-san sleeping on the extra bed, and not only are you not trying to molest her, you're staring at me instead," Jyuushiro said with a strained chuckle. "I can't imagine I'm more fun to look at."

"Near death wins over a pretty face," Shunsui said with a smile and then glanced back at Nanao. "But not by much."

Jyuushiro started to laugh and it quickly turned into a cough that, while not starting a fit, certainly sounded painful. "I'll go get Retsu-san, tell her you're awake," Shunsui said starting to stand up.

"Wait," Jyuushiro commanded, and Shunsui wavered for a moment. "She'll come soon enough. I'm not going to drop dead. Just give me some peace before all of the probing and prodding."

Shunsui sat back down and both men just stayed silent for a few minutes. "You need a fukutaicho," Shunsui stated and noticed the look clouding his friend's face. "I'm not saying its because you're getting weaker or any such bullshit. It would just help. Running a division on your own is hard. Trust me, I now know."

"If Rukia-san is allowed, I'd consider it," Jyuushiro said as he always did.

"Nanao-chan is going to talk to Kuchiki and see what she can do," Shunsui replied softly.

Jyuushiro's eyebrows raised up to his hair line. "She really is seeing him then? I'd assumed that was a rumor."

"Just training with him," Shunsui grunted trying to feel happy about it. "Still he's always seemed to respect and like her. Maybe she'd be able to change his mind."

"Wouldn't that set the gossip mill going," Jyuushiro commented starting to sit up and struggling a bit. "People are already saying they were practically humping in the street."

Shunsui let out a low grumble and restrained himself from trying to help Jyuushiro up. He knew his friend wouldn't appreciate it. "She says nothing is going on. She was supposed to have a date with Hisagi last night though."

"I take it she came here instead," Jyuushiro said with a half smile. Shunsui nodded and Jyuushiro snorted. "Well, glad I could help."

"Find a different way next time," Shunsui said with a grin.

"Hey, last time I tried to get you out of doing something you didn't want to do with a different excuse it royally backfired," Jyuushiro replied with a tired smile as he finally settled himself into a comfortable upright position.

"Yes, well you didn't know my mother very well at the time," Shunsui said fondly as he poured and handed his friend a glass of water from the side table. Shunsui hadn't wanted to go to a gathering of nobility once, and Jyuushiro had kindly said they had a 'thing' and Shunsui had to go too. His mother, being his mother, had grilled the new graduates about this so called 'thing' and not receiving an answer had eventually demanded to know exactly what it was they thought they were doing that couldn't be announced in polite company. Jyuushiro had panicked and lied, saying they were going to a brothel. Shunsui's mother had then proceeded to escort them to the nearest whorehouse and told them to pick out the girls they wanted on her dime. She'd then told them that being young it couldn't possibly take them that long so to hurry upstairs, take care of business, and then they'd be on their way to the gathering. Needless to say Shunsui hadn't been in the mood and Jyuushiro had been too horrified to even lift his eyes up from where they were staring at his feet. His mother had then spent the rest of the evening asking what was wrong with them and asking if they'd have preferred she'd bought them boys. This had then brought on the inevitable panic attack about Shunsui never having children. The two friends had resolved to never share that story with anyone and Shunsui had told Jyuushiro to stick with his illness as a cover from then on out.

"Brothels have never worked out well for us," Jyuushiro said contemplatively.

"How was I supposed to know Lisa-chan would enjoy it?" Shunsui said with a laugh. He'd planned to scare the woman off as he'd done many female fukutaichos before her by bringing her along to a red light district in the living world. Usually he didn't even have to do anything there, just flirt with a few of the fawning prostitutes and the woman would get disgusted, storm off, and request a transfer the next day. But with Lisa she'd ended up doing most of the flirting and had eventually started grilling the women on sexual positions while he and Jyuushiro looked on in shock. She'd even asked to watch one of them in action. Shunsui had quickly realized this particular fukutaicho might just work out after all.

"Didn't Lisa-san date one of the girls from there for a while?" Jyuushiro asked.

"Yeah," Shunsui said with a grin. "It was hell making excuses to go across to the real world, but man it was worth the effort to get in on some of those threesomes."

"Classy," Jyuushiro said rolling his eyes.

"You'd have done the same in my position," Shunsui said confidently.

"I don't like to share," Jyuushiro replied with a smile. "If I'm sleeping with someone they better only be moaning my name."

"Whoever thought you'd be the selfish friend?" Shunsui joked.

Jyuushiro opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the sound of a clumsy 4th division member dropping something with a loud bang in the hall. Both men flinched and glanced over at the sleeping woman. She shifted tiredly and blinked open her eyes.

"Morning Nanao-chan," Shunsui said warmly.

"Mmm, morning," she answered sleepily sitting up and dangling her legs over the edge of the bed. "You're awake," she commented in Jyuushiro's direction. She stood up lazily and ran a gentle hand through Shunsui's loosely bound hair down to his neck as she moved up next to him to look down at Jyuushiro. He savored the unthinking gesture, and knew for a fact it would not have been given were she more awake.

"Looks like I survived again," Jyuushiro tried to joke, which was made less humorous by the rasp in his voice.

"Wonderful," Nanao said warmly and honestly. She leaned over and planted a kiss on the man's forehead as if he were a child getting over a fever. "I'll go get Unohana Taicho."

"I'm really ok," he said quickly. "I'm sure she'll be checking in shortly. No need to bother her before then."

"You really are a terrible patient," Nanao commented stretching and then plopping down in the seat next to Shunsui. "And I'm a terrible person for listening to you. So what do we do till Unohana Taicho gets here?"

"Well, we were talking about brothels and threesomes," Shunsui supplied in his usual blunt way. He was kind of sad she was still just waking up as usually statements like that could get at least a mild flush and an eye roll out of her.

"Lovely," Nanao said sarcastically. "Well by all means don't stop on my account."

"Your tags up," Shunsui said suddenly, having noticed and been distracted by the little offending piece of material as he looked her over discreetly. He reached up and tucked it back into her shirt letting his fingers graze and linger a moment longer than he probably should have. He just couldn't resist. There was something about the way she looked when she first woke up that always made him feel like the whole world could erupt and he'd never even notice.

"Thanks," she said softly. "So how are you feeling?"

"Right as rain," Jyuushiro answered grinning, but the effect was somewhat lost due to the hospital bed and the breathing tube.

"Mmm hmm," she hummed skeptically with one eyebrow raised, obviously becoming more and more awake.

"Well I'm alive," Jyuushiro said with a weak smile. "You really didn't have to stay the whole night."

"You'd think he'd have given up telling us that by now," Nanao said to Shunsui.

"Well, you know Jyuushiro," Shunsui said with a shrug. "He's a nice boy, but none too bright."

"So what do we do?" she asked trying not to grin.

"Smile and nod generally works," Shunsui replied after a moment of faked thought. Both turned back to the bed-bound man and smiled and nodded at him.

"You're both terrible friends," Jyuushiro said glaring. "Mocking a dying man."

"You said you were right as rain," Nanao said quizzically.

"You know what? Being unconscious is starting to look good," he said glaring.

"But then you wouldn't be able to see my lovely face," Shunsui pouted.

"Yeah, that was pleasant to wake up to," Jyuushiro said sarcastically. Then a cough rolled up in his throat and Shunsui and Nanao tensed. The coughing continued for a few seconds and Nanao was already on her feet and headed for the door. "Sit down," he got out during a pause.

"But Jyuushiro-san," she said wavering uncertainly at the exit.

"Come on Nanao-chan," Shunsui added reluctantly. "He knows himself best. If he thinks it'll be fine it will be. Retsu-san will be here soon enough." He saw the indecision shimmering across her face and then she finally came back. It was a sign of how worried she actually was that she took Shunsui's hand again when she resumed her seat.

"You're both a pair of old nervous women," Jyuushiro grumbled once he got his coughing somewhat under control and accepted the tissue Shunsui handed him to wipe his mouth.

"Says the biggest nervous old woman of us all," Nanao chastised trying to hide her fear and make light of the situation.

"Since when?"

"Don't you remember when I broke my leg out at Ugendo and you nearly killed several shinigami with your head long dash to the 4th? Then you wouldn't leave my bedside for the next two days even though Unohana-san said I was going to be just fine," she teased.

"You were an itty bitty little kid," Jyuushiro defended. "And Shunsui specifically left you in my care during the holiday while he was in the living world. I was more afraid he was going to skin me alive than that you were going to die."

"Great," Nanao said with a glare. "Glad to know you cared."

"I wouldn't have skinned you," Shunsui said with a shrug. "Wasn't your fault she suddenly got it into her head to be a tightrope walker."

"No, it wasn't," Nanao replied switching her glare to Shunsui. "That was all you."

"I took you to the circus," Shunsui argued. "I didn't tell you to go string up a cord between the balconies of two buildings and try to cross it."

Nanao flushed violently and then looked down at her lap. "Still you did put the initial idea in my head."

"Why the blush, Nanao-chan?" he asked curiously, twisting to look up at her down turned face.

"Nothing," she snapped.

"You had the hots for the tightrope walker, Shun," Jyuushiro supplied grinning. "Went out of your way to talk to her after the show. Nanao-san thought it was the tightrope walking you were impressed with."

"You swore you wouldn't tell," Nanao growled.

"Hey, you insulted me and brought the whole thing up in the first place," Jyuushiro said with a grin.

"You aren't allowed to repeat information someone shares when under the influence of severe pain," Nanao argued. "It's like a law or something."

Both men just laughed. "I don't think that's a law Nanao-san," Jyuushiro replied with a smile.

"I think it's cute," Shunsui put in grinning. "Baby Nanao-chan just wanted to impress me."

"Yes, well I was a rather stupid impressionable child that had yet to see your more obvious faults," Nanao said with a sniff and her nose in the air.

"No need to be mean just because you're embarrassed," Shunsui scolded jokingly. "It's not your fault you had a crush on me. I'm hard to resist."

"Ha," Nanao said grinning like a cat that got the cream. "Shows what you know. All I wanted to do was show you I was a good division member. In fact I had a rather large crush on Jyuushiro-san at the time!"

"Ha," Shunsui yelled back triumphantly. "I knew you liked him longer than you admitted when I asked you! You little liar!"

"You asked how long I'd been giving him Valentine's Day chocolate, not how long I'd liked him," Nanao said with a devious grin. "Not my fault you were asking the wrong question."

"Evil woman," he said.

"Smart woman," she replied and stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're both idiots," Jyuushiro said smiling.

"Takes one to know one," the replied in unison.

"Oh kami, it's like being with my 3rd seats," Jyuushiro said with a feigned sigh.

"There is one minor difference," a deceivingly warm voice said from the door. "Your 3rd seats would have done as asked and come to get me when you woke up."

"Now look what you've done," Shunsui said barely hiding his smile. "You've gone and gotten us in trouble with Retsu-san."

"If you both don't mind, I'd like to see Jyuushiro-san for a moment," the healer said smiling the polite smile that meant if you don't do exactly what I ask you to do there will be severe trouble. "But don't go to far."

"You're on your own friend," Shunsui said happily as he followed Nanao out the door. The both wandered down the hall and resumed their seats in the waiting room.

"Looks like he'll be alright again," Nanao commented and Shunsui could feel the anxiety draining out of her.

"Yeah," he said leaning his head back against the wall. Now that the fear was passing, the easy atmosphere of people simply relieved to escape disaster was waning too. The silence lengthened and he could nearly feel Nanao remembering all the things she'd let herself forget in the course of her worry. He watched her from the corner of his eye and could practically see her posture get stiffer and the uncomfortable frown as she tried to figure out how she was supposed to act now after the brief break from hostilities. He glanced at her throat and saw a nasty black and blue mark rising up from her collar that he'd been too distracted to notice the night before. He swept his eyes over her cataloguing her newest visible injures and sighed.

Reaching out he touched the bruise lightly and he felt her go absolutely ridged underneath his fingertips. Yes, there would be no more absentminded caresses or handholding from her. "I'm sorry," he said lightly, letting his hand drop away.

"For what?" she asked staring straight ahead.

He chuckled low and leaned back again. "Now that's always a dangerous question from a woman. Answer the wrong thing and you not only make her mad, you run the risk of exposing a fault she was previously unaware of."

"I'm pretty aware of your faults," she said dryly.

"I'm sorry I reacted the way I did to your injuries," he said plainly. "I was surprised and worried and it came out wrong. I just, I always feel like I've screwed up horribly when I see you hurt. I never want you hurt."

To his surprise she sighed and said, "I'm sorry too."

"For what?" he asked echoing her earlier words.

"I knew it would upset you and I didn't care," she said. "I could have handled your concern better, but I was just so angry."

"I want to protect you," he said. "It will take me some time to get used to the fact that I am no longer allowed to. Not that that will slow me down in the least if I think you need it."

"We aren't dating anymore. You don't have to come to my rescue," she said frostily.

"Nanao-chan, you could sleep with the entire populace of the Seireitei and, while I would not be pleased, I would still come to your defense," he said honestly. "I don't give a shit what our official relationship is. You're my Nanao-chan, and even if you're married to another man with fifteen children that will never change. You're my family and my friend and the woman I love. Scorn me all you like, but I will never not come for you when you need it," he finished seriously.

She looked at him for a long moment as if deciding whether to be angry or not and then a softness entered her eyes that he hadn't seen in a long while. "That goes both ways," she said firmly. "I may not like you right now, but I would never not come."

"I know," he said with a weak smile. "You're here after all."

"Jyuushiro is my friend too," she defended.

"Yes, but for the past few hours you were here with me, not just here in the same room as me," he said. "There's a difference and I thank you for that. I needed you."

She nodded her head and swallowed hard. "I'm not going to be with you much longer."

"I know," he said sadly. "Retsu-san is going to come out and tell us everything will be ok again and then you're going to leave me. But not just yet." He took her hand one last time and they sat and waited in comfortable silence.

Not long after, Retsu came out and told them Jyuushiro would make as full a recovery as could be expected, but that he needed his sleep. She chastised them both again for not getting her instantly, and told them they would be in trouble if they ever ignored direct orders like that again in the future. Nanao's hand slid from his as they both stood, and as the healer began to depart Shunsui's mother and the now obviously pregnant Kiyoko entered the waiting room clearly searching for him. They hurried over, as Nanao moved away, saying they'd heard about the coughing fit and wanted to make sure everyone was ok. Kiyoko had brought food having heard the 4th's mess hall was not the greatest, and they chattered on at him senselessly after Shunsui informed them Jyuushiro would survive.

He watched over their shoulders as Nanao talked to Isane fukutaicho briefly, and could do nothing as she headed for the exit. It didn't matter either way though. The second her hand had left his she'd left him completely. Her physical departure didn't really mean anything at all.

* * *

**A/N: Alright so I'm still a bit slow updating. September is a crazy month for my work and this past week has seemed like it lasted a month.**

**For all of you that were worried about Jyuu, he'll be ok, ha. I actually realized I'm more likely to kill off my main characters than Jyuushiro. I was never a huge Ukitake fan, but he has wormed his way into my heart over the course of my writing :) Also for those of you asking about Kiyoko, she's about 4 months along.  
**

**Anyway please review as they one) really make my day two) keep me inspired to work, and three) make me feel slightly guilty when I'm being a lazy updater and kick my butt into gear.**


	25. Apologize

"Ise-san," a voice called out behind her. She paused on her trek home and spotted Baykuya walking in her general direction.

"Kuchiki Taicho," she greeted with a curt bow. Even though she'd slept while in the hospital it hadn't been a very restful sleep and she was feeling cranky. She also couldn't deny that it'd ticked her off all over again to see Shunsui's mother and that woman show up at the hospital. She knew they were just trying to be supportive, but she couldn't help feeling like it was his mother trying to manipulate Kiyoko's way into Shunsui's heart, as Hana had never deemed it necessary to visit a sick Jyuushiro before. She knew she had no right to really be upset about it, but somehow she was even angrier about the woman trying to worm herself into the trio's friendship than into Shunsui's bed. Nanao could only assume this was because Kiyoko sleeping with Shunsui had been jarring and painful enough to confuse and dilute the angrier emotions inside her at the time, but Kiyoko trying to get close to Jyuushiro wasn't so much heart wrenching as it just pissed her off royally. If Jyuushiro wanted food other than the mess hall's than by kami it was going to be Nanao that made it, not some idiotic noble girl. What did Kiyoko even know about what either men wanted or needed in this situation anyway? Kiyoko had slept with Shunsui, that didn't mean she knew anything about him. A lot of women had slept with Shunsui.

"How is Ukitake Taicho?" the regal man in front of her asked, obviously aware that if the man was ill she'd been to the hospital.

"He's going to be ok," Nanao said rubbing the bridge of her nose and once again becoming conscious of the fact that she needed to get her glasses fixed. "It was a bad one, but Unohana Taicho thinks he'll come through just fine."

Kuchiki nodded and matched her stride as she continued to walk. Remembering her earlier promise to Shunsui she breached unknown territory. "I know it may be none of my business, but Ukitake-san really could benefit from a fukutaicho as capable as your sister."

Kuchiki raised one elegant eyebrow at her and she felt the chilly look penetrate. "And you would know this from your in depth interaction with my sister?"

"Obviously I have not been in the field with her, but I've heard more than enough about her skills to know she'd be up to the challenge," Nanao said. She saw the disapproval on his face and added, "Besides it would make it much more difficult for her to go about visiting the living world with the added burden of the work load." Everyone was well aware Kuchiki was not fond of his little sister's growing relationship with the ryoka Ichigo. He wasn't doing anything to stop it, but he sure wasn't fond of it.

"Did Ukitake Taicho put you up to this?" he asked coolly.

"No, Kyouraku-san asked," she said honestly. She'd found over the past few days that bluntness was an excellent way to go with the frosty man. He was much like herself in that respect. It was good just to get to the point.

"And you are still doing his bitch work?" Byakuya asked. Seeing her surprised expression he added, "My fukutaicho's turn of phrase of course, but applicable in the situation."

Nanao snorted and gave him a small smile. "No, I just happen to agree with him. We both want Jyuushiro-san safe and a fukutaicho would help. He has his hopes set on Rukia-san and she is more than up to the challenge. Not only that, but it would bring more honor to the Kuchiki name. That being said, I do intend to respect your wishes and let the matter drop."

"So Ukitake-san's illness has reunited the lovers in their moment of tragedy," Kuchiki filled in dryly.

"Oh yes, only to have cruel reality pop up in the form of his pregnant mistress," Nanao replied sarcastically.

They walked on silently for a bit and then Kuchiki cleared his throat awkwardly, which was the first awkward thing Nanao had ever witnessed him do to be honest. "I do not usually meddle, but as you have offered your opinion on a personal matter and Rukia has been pestering me, I would like to offer out a suggestion she made."

"Go ahead," Nanao said, half curious and half dreading the proposition.

"We have a cousin that Rukia thought might be a good romantic match for you," he said without a hint of expression in his tone.

"Are you trying to set me up on a blind date?" Nanao asked shocked.

"It was merely a suggestion," he answered with an elegant shrug. "To do with as you will. Although I believe he may be a bit more suited to your particular needs then say a Kenpachi."

"Why does everyone think I'm sleeping with Kenpachi?" Nanao asked rolling her eyes. "Can't a girl come out of the baths right after a member of the opposite sex and not have slept with him?"

"Of course," Kuchiki conceded. "I never implied anything different. Just merely stated that Kenpachi is not a hypothetically good alternative to Kyouraku."

"Well apparently as I am dating Kenpachi, Hisagi, and you, I have a plethora of options," she said with a harsh laugh.

"We're seeing one another?" he asked with his own barely there smile. "Interesting. People will believe anything. Well, I do have to be going."

"Of course," Nanao said stopping with him at the intersection. She could feel the passing shinigami eyes boring into them and she sighed in annoyance. She kind of missed being invisible.

"Very interesting," Kuchiki said calmly. Then he reached up and brushed a loose piece of hair behind her ear. She looked at him in surprise and he smirked. It was one of the more evil things she'd witnessed in a while. It was also kind of sexy. "Let Kyouraku twist a little longer."

Then he was walking the other direction and it took Nanao a moment to get her feet moving properly. She heard whispering all around her and she tried to fight down the blush she thought she had under control. She was under no delusions that Kuchiki was actually interested in her. He must have just suddenly taken a fancy to screwing with Shunsui.

"So I'm kind of hoping that you missed dinner because of Ukitake Taicho and not Kuchiki Taicho," a voice said lightly to her left.

"Hisagi-san," she greeted surprised. Apparently she'd picked a very busy way to walk home. "I'm so sorry about last night. I heard Ukitake-san had just gotten sick and I didn't even think."

"It's fine," he said with a charming boyish grin. "I figured as much. Well, I have to admit there was a bit there where I'd thought I'd been brutally stood up, but then I heard the rumor and figured you'd gone to the 4th. How is he?"

"He's going to be alright," she said with a relieved smile. "I really am sorry. I should have sent a message or something."

"Totally fine," Hisagi said cutting off her more thorough explanation. "Once I figured it out I went out with some mates anyway so no harm done. You do owe me a rain check though."

"Of course," she answered smiling back. "Sometime this week?"

"Sure," he said easily. "You look beat. Headed home?"

"Yeah, I was," she said indecisively. She almost felt obligated to grab lunch or something with him now to make up for the blunder.

"Alright, I've got some errands to run," he said easily. "Get some sleep, and I'll see you Monday?"

"Sure," she said relaxing. "See you then."

She was relieved to get home, eat lunch, and pass out with Boo curled up next to her. It was an unpleasant shock to be woken up sometime later to someone banging on her front door. Stumbling out of her bed she slipped her zanpakutou sheath up around her thigh and under her shorts before leaving her room. Her tank top didn't provide any cover and she'd rather have whoever was there believing she was unarmed. Nanao didn't get too many visitors and the ones she did get usually had their own key as she seemed to be unable to stop people from making copies. She tugged the door open hoping it wasn't urgent news from the 4th or anyone who wanted to kill her.

"What?" she asked annoyed as she realized it was Ikkaku at her door.

"We need you right now," he said reaching for her.

She jerked her arm away and glared. "For what?" she demanded. "If this is about yesterday we're going to have to do it some other time."

"Nope, Taicho wants you," he said.

She glanced at the clock on her wall. "What does he want from me at this hour?"

"Hell if I know," Ikkaku said with a shrug. "Taicho tells me to get you I come to get you. He said he needed you now."

Nanao sighed and shook her head. "Let me change."

"No time, princess," he said sneaking in behind her and starting to shove her out the door.

"Ikkaku," she growled dangerously, barely managing to snag her keys off the table next to the door as they left. "I am at least going to lock my door. Stop pushing."

He let up enough to allow her to secure her apartment and then started shunpoing away expecting her to follow. She sighed and glanced longingly at her apartment before she did just that.

They landed at the 11th to a riot of noise. It seemed like every light in the division was on and as they headed towards the front groups of drunken people brushed pass them. Nanao felt a headache coming on. They entered the front gate only to have to duck a moment later as a liquor bottle smashed on the wall behind them.

"This doesn't look like an emergency to me," Nanao said darkly.

"When did I ever say it was an emergency?" Ikkaku asked. "I just said Taicho wanted you."

They rounded another corner and entered the 11th's open courtyard which currently supported a big bonfire and at least thirty or so drunken men and women. Kenpachi sat sprawled out on a wooden bench up against a wall with Yachiru chatting amicably at his side. The little girl seemed to notice instantly as they entered the courtyard and came bounding over to Nanao grabbing her hand and dragging her back to where Kenpachi sat, liquor bottle in hand.

"Good job, baldie," Yachiru called happily to Ikkaku who muttered something about unholy menaces and wandered over to where Yumichika was sitting with another group of men.

"You needed me?" Nanao asked sarcastically, already more than fed up with this particular adventure.

"Kid wanted you," he said nodding at Yachiru lazily.

"There are bugs!" she exclaimed.

"It's nighttime," Nanao said. "There generally are. What's your point?"

"You can kill them with the kido zapping thingy," Yachiru announced like Nanao was an idiot for not catching on.

"No kido in the 11th," Nanao reminded the girl, more than ready to head home.

"Ken-chan will let you," Yachiru whined. "Won't you Ken-chan?"

"Do whatever you want," he said with a shrug. "You ain't 11th anyway."

"Please, please, please," Yachiru said anxiously.

"Yachiru-san," Nanao started with a tired sigh. "Tracking each individual bug down would take all night."

"So what? It's cool. You got something better to do?" Yachiru demanded.

"Leave her alone," Kenpachi said with a chuckle taking a swig of his drink. "I told you kido is useless."

"No fun," Yachiru whined scrambling up to Kenpachi's shoulders.

"Why do ya think she's training so hard?" Kenpachi asked with a smirk. "She finally figured out what a waste of time kido is. You can burn a few eyebrows off, but you should leave killing to the real soldiers." He shook his head and they both seemed to dismiss her very presence as their attention was caught by a group of 11th division members who had started throwing glass shards at each other on the other side of the courtyard. Kami, and she thought the 8th was bad.

Nanao knew she shouldn't do it. Knew it was a terrible temptation to give into, but what were the chances of them really figuring out what had happened? Kenpachi sucked at tracking and sensing spiritual energy, Yachiru was probably too young and uninterested to understand, and everyone else wasn't paying attention. If anything she could use the same excuse she always did that it simply magnified her kido. She was simply tired of taking shit from everyone about her kido.

Nanao slipped her hand up to her thigh and discreetly took out her zanpakutou as Yachiru tried to get a taste of Kenpachi's drink and he held it good-naturedly out of her reach. They didn't want any bugs? She'd show them no bugs.

Kage, distort, she thought letting the presence in her mind grow. Zanpakutous generally didn't need a spoken command to release. They were so in tune with their wielders that it was unnecessary if the desire was there. Nanao had often theorized that shouting the command just substituted nicely for a battle cry and worked for intimidation and the natural need to have an action, not just a thought, create a reaction.

She felt the power well inside her and took a moment to bask in it as she so rarely got to take it out to play, well at least not when she wasn't in fear of imminent death. Then she reached out with her mind to the surrounding area, and was instantly able to locate every object animate or inanimate to a perfect degree. Kage's shikai gave her a bond with space itself. She could feel it within a certain radius as if it were a part of herself and manipulate it as she pleased. Focusing on all the tiny bug life forms in the area she flicked a small simple shot of red fire off the tip of her sword and felt it as, at her will the kido broke into individual tiny pieces, disappeared from the space it'd been produced in, and reappeared inside of every single little bug body instantaneously. Almost a hundred tiny bright lights sparkled into existence at once and then just as quickly faded. She slid Kage away before turning her attention back to Kenpachi and Yachiru, both of whom were looking out in surprise at the little fairy lights that had seemed to appear and disappear like they had never occurred.

"I believe that takes care of your bug problem," she said dryly as she felt the first conversations restart as people around the courtyard tried to figure out what had just happened.

"So cool!" Yachiru shrieked before racing off to investigate the little bug ashes.

"Never seen anyone do a kido like that before," Kenpachi said and Nanao met his eyes, surprised by the intense scrutiny there. Perhaps she had underestimated his ability to sense releases.

"Well it isn't like you've hung out with a lot of kido masters before," she said with a shrug, suddenly cursing her own impetuous stupidity. In her defense she'd been working herself to exhaustion lately, and worrying about Ukitake, and the late night call had just been the last straw.

"You could technically do that to people's heads though right?" Kenpachi asked looking at her with more interest than he ever had in the past. "Blow them right off their necks before they ever even realized what happened?"

"Such a large attack would take a lot more firepower," she said with a shrug, trying to subtly imply it was firepower she didn't have.

"What if it was just one person," he asked shifting forward and standing up. "Could you do it to me? Explode my head before I even laid a finger on you?" he asked getting right in her face.

"I doubt it," she said holding her ground. "Spirits are more complex than bugs, especially shinigami. It'd take a lot to simply force the kido through your natural reiatsu barrier." Which was true except for the fact that her shikai could pretty much negate that barrier by simply suddenly being inside it.

"I don't think you doubt it at all," he growled stepping even closer until all her physical space was taken over by his presence. "I think you know you could blow my head off my shoulders right now."

With enough concentration, oh yes, Kage hissed in her mind. "I couldn't," she lied. It'd be more difficult, but she was just as sure as Kage that she could. And then the Gotei 13 would quickly identify her zanpakutous ability, realize it had the same traits as the highly illegal spatial displacement spell, grasp how dangerous it was, and she'd be thrown in the Maggot's Nest before you could say bug zapper. She'd be too much of a threat to be left alone.

"Interesting," Kenpachi said with a shark grin. "I don't believe you."

"Don't you think if it was that easy I'd have taken some revenge on Kyouraku?" she asked trying to throw him off the trail.

He laughed and moved out of her space. "Have a drink, Ise. Least I can do for the bug slayer."

"I'm really alright," Nanao argued. "I think I'll just head home."

"Sit down," he said, "unless you want me to find out if you really can take me or not."

Nanao grudgingly took the unoccupied edge of the bench and accepted the liquor bottle handed to her. She raised an eyebrow at it and Kenpachi laughed. "No need for glasses. Bottles up." Nanao took a quick swig and tried hard to suppress her disgusted face as it burned down her throat.

"It'll put hair on your chest," he commented seeing her wince.

"Great, just what I've always wanted," she growled, distinctly uncomfortable. After a few more minutes of sitting there in a silence Kenpachi didn't see any need to break she finally sighed and said, "Did you want something else?"

"Yachiru likes you," he said with a shrug. "Figured I'd keep you around until we're sure she's done with you."

"Spoil her like that," Nanao chastised jokingly, "and she'll grow up to be a brat."

"Hasn't seemed to do you much harm," he said with another shrug.

"What?" she asked, wondering again why she was still sitting here when all she wanted to do was go home to bed.

"Kyouraku spoiled you rotten as a kid, and you turned out fine," he clarified. "A little weak, but I won't make that mistake with her. Then again I don't plan on wanting to screw her when she's old enough either."

"He didn't plan on it," Nanao defended. Her Taicho might be a pervert, but he wasn't a pedophile. It'd just happened naturally. Hundreds of years tend to make the age differences blurry at best, and she'd never felt any inappropriate interest when she was younger. Hell, she'd become aware of his sex appeal long before he'd ever seen her as anything but a kid.

"How do you know he didn't just plan to train you up to be exactly what he wanted in a woman?" Kenpachi asked hitting a sore spot he was probably totally unaware of.

Nanao felt her hackles rise at that. She had not escaped Tanaka just to end up in the same situation Tanaka had planned to sell her into. Kyouraku might have been overprotective and a tad manipulative, but he had never ever forced her to be anyone but who she wanted to be. "He didn't," she said coldly, hoping the tone expressed the need for him to drop this line of thought right now.

"No wonder he cheated, probably thought he'd trained you well enough to stick around regardless," Kenpachi said with a chuckle, staring out over the party.

Nanao didn't really think about what she did next, just picked up an empty liquor bottle next to her and smashed it over the back of his head before she could stop herself. Kenpachi came to his feet with a roar, and the entire party stopped to stare.

"What the hell bitch?" he demanded.

"You don't know the first damn thing about us," she growled letting her own power flare up around her. If he wanted a fight, he'd get one. She didn't give two shits whether he pounded her into the ground for it or not.

"You think you're going to fight me?" he snarled.

"Apologize," she said icily. Kami, how many times had she wanted to do this in the past? Just let loose and force the nasty gossipers to get down on their knees and beg for forgiveness. How many times had she held back? Not that deciding to finally do it with Kenpachi was probably the wisest decision. She was just tired of hearing no. Tired of always being the calm rational one. Tired of taking the heat for shit she couldn't control.

"Go to hell," he said smirking back.

Kage urged her forward at the back of her mind. Rip him apart and show them all what she was, what she'd always been, what she'd been trying so hard to shove down somewhere deep to make her friends and family proud. To be a good person. One flick of the wrist, one simple spell, Kage whispered, and it's over.

She ignored the voice and lifted her hands throwing a Hado 33 at him, letting the blue energy erupt from her hands and explode in his face. She really hadn't meant for it to do much damage, and she smiled nastily as the energy cleared showing his singed eyebrows.

His sword was pulled and he was charging at her almost faster than she thought possible, but she lifted her hand summoning a shield of condensed reiatsu, which his blade ricocheted off of leaving an opening for her to slam a ball of yellow energy in an uppercut straight into his gut.

Kenpachi gave an oof, but surprised her with a barehanded backhand that slammed into the side of her head like a sledgehammer and sent her rolling. She barely regained enough sense to stop the roll before she went skidding into the bonfire. He was already charging her again with a look of maniacal glee and she cast a small kido box spell at his feet tripping him and sending him sprawling towards her. Nanao rolled out of the way and was grudgingly impressed when he was able to stop himself before he went headfirst into the fire.

Getting back to her feet and trying to keep her thoughts ordered and clear in her now fuzzy head she sent a particularly strong binding spell at him forcing him to the ground and pinning him to the dirt with pillars. Panting she took the moment to step back and regain her footing having no delusions that the spell was going to hold him for long. Her head was swimming from his blow and she knew she wasn't going to win this fight. It'd been stupid to start it in the first place.

Fight, Kage whispered. We can kill him.

I don't want to kill him, she thought back fiercely, I was just angry.

Too late now, Kage replied, fight or die.

Kenpachi threw off the restraints with a howl and came to his feet already charging. She started on a hyoga seiran and then quickly realized that while Kenpachi would probably survive the massive tidal wave of ice that it would produce the men and women downed by their loosened reiatsu definitely wouldn't. She squashed the spell and dodged his sword swing at the last minute feeling little shards of glass enter her hand as she used it to handspring away from him.

"Don't start running now," Kenpachi said gleefully. "This was just starting to get fun."

She altered the direction of her next kido blast to nail the tip of his sword and rip it backwards, nearly out of his grasp. He grinned and realigned himself bringing the sword down hard to rip through her shoulder, but she managed to get a shield up in time and move fast enough to dodge the blow. She shunpoed in closer to him, using his long arm length to her advantage as it was harder for him to strike at her the closer to his body she got. Nanao managed to twist off to his side and roll further away from him once more.

She said the Senju Koten Taiho incantation aloud to give it extra power and sent all the spears of light produced to a focal point at the center of his chest. The blast threw him backwards and into a wall knocking bricks loose and shingles off the roof. A trickle of blood ran down from Kenpachi's head and he started laughing as he flicked it out of his eye. Nanao was panting and her head was reeling and knew she wouldn't last much longer at this rate. For Kami sake, he hadn't even removed his eye patch. Picking a fight with Kenpachi was intensely stupid.

Now, Nanao, we fight now, Kage demanded again.

I don't want to kill him, she argued once more.

We could merely maim, Kage supplied. One slice at the open air in front of you could rip right through his gut with the proper distortion. We wouldn't even have to be strong enough to slice his skin, just his insides. Everybody's soft and squishy on the inside.

They'd figure it out, she shrieked internally shaking her head.

Then die weak, Kage answered emotionlessly.

Kenpachi charged again and she readied herself for a shielding spell using herself as the fulcrum that she planned to rotate it like a seesaw flipping him over backwards when his foot touched the front of the slanted shield.

Suddenly Kenpachi was thrown back by a blast of kido she certainly didn't throw, and a dozen restraining pillars piled on top of him. It wasn't going to hold, but at least it'd slow him down.

"What is going on?" Kuchiki asked frostily.

Nanao let her own shield drop and gave him a small inclination of her head while she tried to catch her breath to speak again.

"Ain't your damn fight, Kuchiki," Kenpachi growled as he pulled himself out from under the restrictive pillars. "Get lost."

"Your fight has flattened half of the surrounding area and messed up the communication between the 6th's division's patrols," Kuchiki said flatly.

"I'll take you both," Kenpachi said grinning.

"I have no interest in brawling like animals," Kuchiki stated firmly. "Control yourself."

"Bitch started it," Kenpachi said with a fierce smile.

"Somehow I doubt that," Kuchiki replied.

"You think I'd hit a defenseless girl for no reason?" Kenpachi demanded.

"She doesn't appear to have been entirely defenseless," Kuchiki said wryly as he surveyed the damage they'd done.

"Better than I thought," Kenpachi said looking pleased as his attention focused back on Nanao.

"You owe me an apology," Nanao said faking a calm confidence she certainly didn't feel.

Kenpachi just started laughing. When he finally got himself under control again he said to Kuchiki, "I like her. Tiny but vicious."

"Apologize," she said again.

"Sorry, bitch," he said easily. "I was wrong, cuz if I'd been right and he'd made you what he wanted you wouldn't have even lived this long."

"Good enough," she said shrugging glad she didn't have to go at it again.

"Take care of your division," Kuchiki said disgustedly as Kenpachi started locking down his reiatsu. "I'll take the girl to the 4th."

"I hope by girl you aren't referring to me," Nanao said as he shunpoed next to her and the men and women in the courtyard started picking themselves up off the ground where they'd been smothered. It was lucky they hadn't killed anyone. Yachiru bounced up to Kenpachi's side and started squealing eagerly over the fight as he roughly started pulling men to their feet.

"The whole left side of your face is damaged," Kuchiki said looking her over clinically. "Not to mention the blood dripping from your hand."

"I'm fine," she said stubbornly.

"This is an order Ise," Kuchiki said firmly. "Go to the 4th or I will drag you there."

"Fine," she said resentfully. "But I'm fine." She started to turn away wincing as her vision swam and almost missed his next statement.

"Your shunpo was impressive for someone of your level. His blow should have hit."

Nanao turned back to him, but he'd already left. She smiled inwardly at the veiled compliment, and started trudging for the exit. A few people were still shaking their heads trying to clear the cobwebs, and she passed Ikkaku pulling another man up.

"Not bad for a kido wielding girl," he called with a grin.

"Yeah, come play again soon," Yachiru added popping up suddenly beside her. "Ken-chan had lots of fun."

"Wonderful," Nanao said sarcastically as she continued on her way. She picked up her shunpo and didn't even contemplate heading home before the 4th. Frankly she was bearing up well enough against her training injuries, and the Yakuza could suck it for all she cared if they somehow found out that she healed the ones she was currently sporting. Her head felt like a burst watermelon and she just didn't feel like dying in her sleep from an untreated concussion. Plus she had to get the shards of glass out of her hand and she just didn't have the willpower currently to tug them out herself.

You were lucky, Kage whispered.

Very, she agreed.

* * *

**A/N: Oh man I'm starting to catch up to where I've written to in this story. Serious writer's block :( Oh well, it has happened before and it will happen again. Hope you liked this chapter.  
**

**Review please, and as a shameless plug, if you haven't already, please read and review my newest one-shot, Perfection, too :)**


	26. Fall Out

Nanao entered the 4th only to feel panic well up in her all over again as she was greeted by the sight of Unohana's back and Shunsui and Jyuushiro looking rather pissed while trying to advance on the door. Kiyoko was cowering in a chair in the corner and Shunsui's mother was yelling at the top of her voice along with the rest of them.

"What the hell are you doing out of bed?" Nanao yelled, cutting through them all to get to the most pressing problem. Jyuushiro looked pale and like he was going to drop on his feet. She turned her glare on Shunsui. "And why the hell aren't you forcing him back into it?"

The entire group turned to look at her and there was almost a collective blink, which would have been funny if she weren't so worn out and upset

"We were coming to save you," Jyuushiro finally supplied.

"As you can see, fully not in need of saving," Nanao said with a sigh.

"What happened?" Shunsui demanded. "We just felt your and Kenpachi's reiatsus explode and we could only assume you got attacked by a high level hollow or that he was about to massacre you."

"Hey!" she shouted. "He did not massacre me. I even made him bleed."

"Great," Shunsui said sarcastically. "We can all feel better that you look like a busted up pulp because at least you got in a hit too. Shit." Then he turned his back on her and got one of Jyuushiro's arms over his shoulder as their adrenaline started to fade.

"I can make it back to bed," Jyuushiro said weakly losing his argument the second a cough ripped out of him.

"Yeah, you're one hundred percent healthy and can dance all night, and Nanao can fight off all the squads of the Gotei 13 with one hand tied behind her back," Shunsui said rolling his eyes as he further supported his friend. "You shouldn't have tried to come in the first place. Where was I when everyone was losing their damn minds?"

"Shun," Jyuushiro started.

"Back to bed. Now. And you," Unohana said turning on Nanao. "Sit in that chair and don't get into any more trouble until I get back."

Nanao winced at the tone in the healer's voice and took the seat indicated. She was not in the mood for anymore Taicho level fighting tonight. Sighing, she leaned her aching head back gently against the wall and tried to remind herself of all the reasons falling asleep right now would be a very bad idea.

"Nanao-san," a soft voice said after what seemed like only a few seconds and she opened her eyes again to see Shunsui's mother staring down at her.

"Kyouraku-dono," Nanao greeted listlessly. "You need something?"

"I think you ought to stay awake," Hana said with a sigh. "I'm sure they'll send a healer soon enough. Which one is Kenpachi?"

"Taicho of the 11th," Nanao supplied sitting up and trying not to move her head too much. Any sudden movements made her feel like she was going to throw up.

"I don't know him," Hana said as she scrutinized Nanao's wounds. Kiyoko took a seat a bit further down from them and bit her lip nervously. She looked a little pale as she glanced at Nanao's injured hand, and Nanao wondered briefly if the sight of blood made the girl feel faint. She really didn't know why Shunsui was fighting this so hard. Kiyoko really was everything he wanted in a woman. Well lacking a little bit of attitude, but other than that a nice safe, soft, pretty damsel in distress.

"Yeah, you wouldn't," Nanao said refocusing. "He doesn't exactly run in the same social circles as you and Kuchiki Taicho."

"Speaking of," his mother started and Nanao saw the interested glitter in her eyes that was always a bad sign. "I hear you're dating him. A really excellent choice honestly."

"I'm not dating Kuchiki-san," Nanao defended half-heartedly.

"Well you should definitely think about it dear. You two would make lovely babies," Hana commented thoughtfully. "I mean if you are ever going to have babies, and if not I'm sure you'd make excellent, er, co-workers. Really great penmanship and such."

"Why do you care?" Nanao asked wishing she'd just go away so she could go to sleep.

"Contrary to what you may think, Ise-san," Hana said, "I am actually rather fond of you. It wouldn't do to have you unhappy. I don't really understand this roughing up stage your going through, but if beating up boys is what makes you happy then far be it for me to complain. You really should try to do it more discreetly though, I though Shun was going to have an aneurism for a minute, and he's much too young for that. Perhaps you could warn him ahead of time when you're going to get into a fistfight? Just an, oh, by the way I plan on getting into a terrific bloody fight tonight and you needn't worry?"

"I'll work on that," Nanao said as a wave of nausea hit her. She really had to stop taking blows to the head.

"Are you going to throw up dear?" Hana asked.

Nanao bolted to her feet, which made her head swim even more, and tried to focus on finding a trash can or something of the sort. Almost tripping over her own feet she made it to the other side of the room and the waste bin before falling to her knees and completely losing the contents of her stomach.

A cool touch swept her hair away from her face and out of the line of fire. She leaned her head tiredly against the side of the bin when she was done feeling even more exhausted than before. Glancing up, she caught Shunsui's concerned face hovering above her. He pressed some of the strands that his hand had originally missed away from her sweaty forehead and accepted the towel his mother had managed to procure.

"Come on, Nanao-chan," he said softly, wiping her face clean and then gently scooping her up off the ground. "Let's get you in a bed. Retsu-san said she'd be there shortly. Mom, do you mind finding some water for her?"

Nanao bucked in his hold once, feeling nausea threaten her once again and not particularly wanting to puke all over him, but managed to fend it off. She didn't fight him after that, perfectly content to be taken care of at this point. All the adrenaline from the fight was gone and she just felt like she'd been hit by a car, which she could classify as she'd done it once on accident when she was in a gigai in the living world when cars had first gotten really common. She just hadn't thought to be on the lookout for it at the time.

"I don't care if you throw up on me," Shunsui said moving carefully so as not to jostle her. "Kami knows how many times I've almost done it to you when I was drunk."

"You're not a big puker actually," Nanao comforted, knowing he was trying to keep her talking and awake. "You pass out more than puke. You're too lazy even to throw up."

He chuckled and while the slight vibration made her feel even a bit sicker it was also comforting and familiar in its own way. "You really got a hit in?"

"Uh-huh," she said, wrapping her fingers in the silk of a fresh pink haori he must have retrieved at some point today. She figured a concussion was enough of an excuse to be a little more touchy feely than she otherwise should be. "Singed his eyebrows and blasted him into a wall. Gave his head a good crack too. Just not as bad as his backhand."

"He backhanded you?" Shunsui asked and she could hear the fury in his tone.

"To be fair I cracked him over the head with an empty glass bottle first," she said honestly.

"What possessed you?"

"He said something I couldn't stand for," she answered and gave him a look that clearly said that was all he was getting out of her. "How's Jyuushiro? He shouldn't be out of bed yet, you know."

"Well that was all your fault," Shunsui said kicking a door open further. "We felt the reiatsus and both just reacted. I tried to get him to stay, but he refused and frankly it didn't seem like we had time to argue so I just tried to leave, but then Retsu-san and my mother got involved and you pretty much saw the fall out."

"He'll be ok?"

"Yeah, if Retsu-san doesn't poison him for not listening to her."

"Good," Nanao said as he put her down smoothly on the bed. Her headache was raging to a new high and she tried to ignore it. "I'm getting better you know. Not even a few months ago I would have never gotten a hit in."

"I know," Shunsui said grudgingly. "I just wish you didn't have to."

"Why don't you like her?"

"Who?"

"Kiyoko," Nanao clarified licking her dry lips and trying to gather her sluggish thoughts.

"I don't even know her," Shunsui said with a shrug.

"She's what you want though. All pretty, pliable, and helpless."

"I never wanted you helpless," Shunsui growled in frustration. "I just wanted you safe."

"Did I not turn out the way you pictured when I was a child? Didn't you want me to be a princess?"

"What? Nanao, I didn't even really ever think about it. You were just a kid who was hurting who I wanted to keep safe. It's not like I was trying to mold you into something specific. Whenever I saw you all I knew was that my first goal was to make you smile," he said. "That never changed."

"I hope you can make me smile again someday," she said feeling loopy. "You don't right now. Hisagi makes me smile sometimes, but not like you used to."

"Water," his mother announced, but Nanao was already half asleep.

"Nanao-chan," a man whispered moving to prop her up. It was Shunsui, she thought dully. It had to be Shunsui there. He always came when she felt this bad. He sounded sad. She wanted to hug him, but she was afraid she might throw up on him.

"Huh?" she asked trying to focus, but everything was hazy.

"You've got to stay awake. Drink some water," he offered and she felt the cup at her lips, but couldn't bring herself to do anything about it.

"Shunsui," she whispered. She wanted to tell him not to worry. He sounded tired.

"Come on Nanao, you've got to stay awake," he repeated. "Mom, get Retsu. Now."

"I don't feel so good," she said.

"I know, but you have to stay awake."

"Remember when you asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I wouldn't tell you?"

"That happened a lot," he said trying to get her to drink again. "You'll have to be more specific."

"I wanted a pony," she said. "But you," she trailed off. She couldn't remember what he'd gotten for her. In fact she was too tried to try.

"Nanao-chan, you have to stay awake," he repeated. "Keep talking to me."

"Can't," she said taking a nice relaxing breath. "I'll see the fireworks next year. Promise. You have to bring me again. I swear I won't fall asleep next time."

"Nanao," he said more frantically trying to force her to sit up.

"Where's Yadomaru-san? I have to tell her I did a hado 33," she muttered. Yadomaru fukutaicho would be real proud.

* * *

"Nanao," he said more forcefully nearly tugging her out of the bed, not that her feet would support her at this point.

"It's alright, let me see her," Retsu said sweeping in and effectively brushing him off to the corner. He paced nervously in the small space it allowed and fought diligently to keep his own reiatsu under control and not mess with the delicate medical spells Retsu was casting. If Kenpachi had seriously damaged her he'd kill him. He didn't care how strong Kenpachi was or what kind of trouble he'd be in, he would most assuredly slit the beast's throat.

"Shun-kun," his mother said, laying a hand gently on his arm. It was only then that he realized every muscle in it was tense. "Retsu-san won't let anything happen to her. It's just a concussion. You can't even count the amount of times I had to see a healer with you boys for concussions. You both turned out relatively functional."

"She was asking about Lisa," Shunsui said worriedly. He saw his mother's confused expression and said, "my old fukutaicho. The one that went missing a hundred plus years ago. You met her a few times."

"Ah," his mother said. "Well I wouldn't be too concerned. You spent one concussion rambling about how much you loved your father and what a big role model he was in your life."

Shunsui made a face at that and she laughed. "See? Nothing to worry about. She'll wake up with a headache and maybe have some dizzy spells for a few days. Illness and injuries always make us a bit funny. Remember when your brother had that bad fever and kept yelling that the monkeys were coming?"

"Oh do I," Shunsui said with a grin. He'd not let his brother live down that particular event for a long time. Scratch that, he still made fun of Seichii for that whenever he got the chance.

"She'll be fine. Ise-san is a big tough girl, she'll bounce right back. Now let's get out of the healer's way." She took Shunsui's arm and started guiding him out of the room. "Heck, you may even get lucky and she'll develop amnesia and forget that she's cross with you."

"I'm not that lucky," Shunsui said with a laugh.

"I'm sure Retsu-san will come and get you when you can sit with her," his mother said as she proceeded to lead him down the hall. "Although I don't think all this sleeping in chairs at the 4th is good for your back. You're not as young as you used to be. You will have to ask your friends to stop frequenting this place."

"Mom," he said, but she kept chattering.

"I mean really, first Jyuushiro-kun, now Nanao-san. You should tie the two of them down. Always throwing you into a big man tizzy. You certainly didn't get that personality quirk from me."

"Mom."

"It's a small wonder both of you boys survived your academy days. And here I was always thinking Jyuushiro was the brains. Proved me wrong tonight."

"Mom!" he said finally tugging her hand and cutting off her rant.

"What?" she asked moodily.

"Thanks," he said simply.

"They're going to be fine, Shun," she said smiling easily. "You worry too much."

He pulled her into one of the rare hugs his family ever had and closed his eyes briefly. At least now both of them were constrained to hospital beds under Retsu's watchful eye. Not that he didn't think he'd get hell from Retsu later for provoking her patients. She'd probably wait to lay into Nanao until the woman got somewhat over her concussion. Regardless of her training he couldn't think of one good reason, even despite a cracked bottle over your head, for backhanding a woman.

"You're going to have panic attacks right and left when you're a father," his mother said quietly.

He released her and sighed. "Come on," he said. "You should take Kiyoko-san and go home. I'll wait in the waiting room until Retsu-san forgives me enough to let me into Jyuu and Nanao-chan's rooms."

"Kiyoko-san only wants to support you," his mother said as she followed behind him.

"She doesn't know me, and she doesn't know them," he answered. "Take her home."

"How is she ever supposed to if you keep treating her like the scum on the bottom of your shoe?"

"I don't treat her like scum," he defended.

"No, you'd take more notice of scum, at least try to scrape it off," his mother countered getting upset. "I get that you hate this whole thing. I get that you don't love her, but for kami sake you are going to be a father, and that child didn't do anything wrong. So grow up. I can't imagine even Nanao-san would be able to tolerate you if you were that much of a bastard."

"I said I'd take care of the kid," he replied with a shrug.

"What? Throw money at it? Like your father did with you?" she asked.

He let out a low growl and then sighed. "I'll talk to her alright? But you should both still go home. I'm going to stay here."

"You talk to her, Shun," his mother said. "I'm going to that all night restaurant around the corner and I'll be back in an hour."

"Yare, yare," he muttered. "Could this night get any worse?" Shunsui plodded back into the waiting room and watched morosely as his mother shot off the other direction and left. Kiyoko looked up at him uncertainly and he dropped sloppily onto the bench next to her.

"Will they both be alright?" she asked hesitantly.

"Should be. I don't know. Retsu-san will let me know about Nanao-chan, but I think she'll be ok," he said, mentally adding that if she wasn't alright there was going to be blood on the 11th division's walls.

"Ise-san didn't look very well," Kiyoko said glancing down the hall. She looked genuinely worried and Shunsui sighed.

"She'll pull through," he comforted. "She's tough." And she was. His delicate Nanao-chan could take the hits and keep on going, he just didn't like to watch or allow it.

"I don't think I could ever do what she does," Kiyoko said thoughtfully. "My family would just die if I ever got into a fight."

Shunsui laughed at the mental image it painted. Kiyoko's family had apparently forgiven her once she'd started living with the Kyouraku's and had showed all signs of being accepted into his prestigious family. Kami, he hated nobles. "Nanao-chan's family mainly encourages it."

There was silence for a few minutes and Shunsui realized the girl wasn't going to start a conversation unless he gave her the inclination that he wanted one. "So what happened?" Shunsui asked bluntly, unsure of how to get to the point delicately and finally ready to ask the question he'd been avoiding all this time.

"What do you mean?" the petite woman asked thrown off.

"The night you got pregnant, what exactly happened?" he clarified.

The girl blushed a brilliant pink and looked down at the hands in her lap. "You want me to retell it step by step?" she asked softly. She looked mortified and he felt bad for her all over again.

"I don't need the sex details," he said shrugging. "I just want to know what happened between me drinking and leaving alone and then waking up alone. I don't even remember really speaking to you that night, let alone sleeping with you."

"Oh," she said, sounding slightly disappointed although he'd made it clear he didn't remember anything about that night many times before. "Well, I decided to check on you, as you'd looked a little unwell at the end of the evening. So I found out what room you were staying in and went up and knocked. Nobody answered, and I was worried you were ill and needed help so I tried the door and it was open. I just went in to ask if you were all right, I swear. But you were sitting at the end of the bed in the dark, and I asked if you were ok, and I must have startled you because you jumped up and dropped your glass and it splashed all over. It was lucky there were rugs or it would have shattered. I felt so bad about alarming you that I grabbed the towel you had draped over a chair and ran forward to help you clean up, but you grabbed my arm and asked what I was doing there. I told you I'd just come to check and see if you were ok, and you asked me why, said I didn't even know you so why did I care."

"A good question," Shunsui muttered next to her.

"Well then I confessed," she said shyly.

"Confessed what?"

"About how I've been in love with you since I stayed with your family, and how much I always thought about you, and that when I saw you that day at the party my heart had skipped a beat," she said in an embarrassed rush. "I really do. I love you. I'm sorry that you were seeing someone else and I'm sorry you don't remember all this, but I'm not sorry I'm pregnant. I've always loved you."

"You don't even know me," he said tiredly.

"Haven't you ever just known?" she demanded and it was the most fight he'd heard in the girl yet. "Love at first sight!"

"I don't believe in it," Shunsui said simply. While he was a romantic, he was old enough to know that love didn't just magically appear and last through the ages. There had to be a real connection. The connection he'd had with Nanao for example.

"Well, I've loved you since the first time I met you," she said passionately and honestly, and it just made him feel sorry for her.

"So you confessed and then what?" he asked.

"Well, then I kissed you once, and one thing lead to another," she said blushing again, whether it was due to the one and only brave action she'd probably ever done in her whole life or the thing everything else lead to he wasn't sure.

"And then at the end I told you to leave?" he asked.

"Sort of," she said softly. "You said something about someone named Lisa and then seemed to get really upset and start pacing and then you told me to leave. I started to cry so you said you'd come and find me in the morning before you left."

"But I never did," he commented wondering why he would have mentioned Lisa at all. It's not like she'd been on his mind. The last conscious thought he remembered having of that night was standing out on the balcony of the party room and thinking about how the full moon in the sky would be the perfect lighting in which to seduce his Nanao-chan if he'd been home.

"No," she said sadly. "I was so worried I'd done something to offend you. I was actually somewhat relieved to learn you just didn't remember."

"Couldn't you tell I was drunk out of my mind?" he asked sourly.

"You didn't seem that bad," she said with a shrug. "It was so dark that I suppose I couldn't really see any physical signs of it and you were a little off I suppose, but how was I to know?"

A very good question. How was the girl to know if something was wrong with him? She didn't know him. If she couldn't even identify what was normal for him how was she supposed to identify what was out of place. He felt his temper flare. "So you kissed me and I went out of control and screwed you?"

The girl flinched at the choice of words. "You weren't out of control," she said quietly. "It was nice. You seemed to kind of be figuring it out too. I almost thought I might be your first time."

Shunsui couldn't help laughing at that. This girl was so far from first it was hard to even put a number on it. "And you didn't think to use a contraceptive spell?"

"I don't even know one," Kiyoko said looking offended.

"Hmm," Shunsui said dully, but his brain was processing. That actually would make sense. Why would a good noble girl need to know one? After all they weren't supposed to have sex until they were married and after that their primary duty was producing heirs. Still, no matter how drunk he'd ever been he'd always remembered the spell. He'd only had to have a couple scares to instill that habit in him. "Right. My mother should be back any minute. Aren't you going to visit your family in Apulia tomorrow? I think my mother said you were."

"Oh yes," she said, picking up on his obvious desire to change the subject and looking relieved herself. "They asked me to visit in their last letter. It takes quite a while to get there and back though so I'll be gone for almost a month. Are you sure you wouldn't like to come? My family would love to meet you again."

Over my dead body, he thought instantly. "I have duties in the 8th," he answered vaguely.

"Oh, of course. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have even suggested it," she said bowing her head.

"It's fine," he answered feeling slightly bad. "You'll have a good time."

"Oh!" Kiyoko said looking surprised. "The baby is moving again."

"Huh?" he asked stupidly.

"Here," Kiyoko said with a flush of happiness. She grabbed his hand and put it on her stomach before he could stop her and he felt the sharp little impact on his palm. "The baby is a bit fussy. He's been kicking a lot lately."

Shunsui didn't remove his hand even as she let it go. The kick had made this somehow more real. It wasn't just a bad dream he was going to wake up from. There was a child, and the child hadn't done anything wrong except exist. Beyond that if she was right and it was a boy he'd well and truly screwed it's life. It would bear the Kyouraku legacy as much as he had, and if he left things as they were, left Kiyoko with his family, wouldn't that be condemning the baby to the same childhood he'd known and hated? It didn't matter that he didn't give a shit about this woman, the baby had to be protected.

His mother came back in and he blessed her good timing for once.

"Are you ready to go home?" his mother asked when she decided they were obviously done talking and there was a somewhat pleasant atmosphere around them.

"Ah, yes, Hana-dono," Kiyoko said bowing slightly. "Of course."

Shunsui saw the two women to the door and avoided his mother's searching gaze.

As the two women departed he turned and walked slowly down the 4th division hall. At this point he didn't even care if Retsu tore him apart. He just needed his friend.

Jyuushiro was sitting up in bed as a 4th division member packed up the blood sample they'd just taken. "What went wrong now?" he demanded glancing up as Shunsui walked in.

"Nothing new," Shunsui said morosely as the 4th division member scurried out of the room. "How are you doing?"

"I'm just fine. And Nanao-san? She did not look well as they were taking me away," Jyuushiro said lightly.

"Oh, she has a concussion more than likely," Shunsui said deflating even more, "but I'm sure Retsu-san will fix her right up."

"Well, that's good I guess. There was nothing else wrong with her?"

Shunsui sank down into the seat next to his friend and buried his face in his hands. "I think I'm going to be a father."

"With Nanao?" Jyuushiro fairly shrieked.

"No," Shunsui said snapping his head up. "Why? Is she pregnant? Where did you hear that?"

"No, I didn't," Jyuushiro said looking confused. "It's just that if you're talking about Kiyoko-san, well, I mean haven't we known that for a while?"

"Yeah," Shunsui sighed relieved Nanao hadn't been knocked up by someone else. "But it didn't really seem real until just now. Up till now I've just avoided it all, barely even talked to the girl. It seemed like a bad dream I could wake up from. But this, this was different. There is a real child that is going to be put through the wringer unless I figure this out. Kami, Jyuu, what am I going to do?"

"You're going to be a good father," Jyuushiro said gently. "Just because you don't love Kiyoko-san, doesn't mean you'll be unable to love the baby. Shun, I know you better than anyone. You aren't going to hurt the child so don't worry about it."

"I have to get them out of my parents' home," he said with a sigh, as all the responsibility seemed to hit him at once.

"So you're sure it's yours then?" Jyuushiro asked carefully.

"I'll never be sure till we get a blood test once the baby is born," he said with a shrug. "I don't remember a damn thing. It's all so strange too. It sounds like me, but it doesn't."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I asked Kiyoko-san about that night," he said. "And she said I mentioned Lisa and got upset and told her to leave. I just don't usually do things like that when I'm drunk, and why would I mention Lisa, but not Nanao? I wasn't even thinking about Lisa that night from what I remember. Then I forget the contraceptive spell, which I've drilled into myself to remember. I haven't even ever forgotten with Nanao-chan and I'd have been happy to get her pregnant. The real kicker is though, I was apparently so bad she thought she might be my first."

"First what?" Jyuushiro asked confused.

"First time having sex," Shunsui clarified and then had to wait a good ten minutes while his friend laughed and then started coughing again. "You know the coughing fit at the end was karma punishing you."

"Well worth it," Jyuushiro said getting his breathing back under control and unable to break his smile. "How much did you drink that you were that bad?"

"Kami only knows, but I didn't think it was much more than usual and I've never been told I'm bad in bed, ever, no matter how drunk I've been," he said feeling his pride smart a bit.

"Maybe they've all been lying to you all these years?" Jyuushiro teased, unable to help himself.

"If they had been they'd have at least told other people the truth and the rumor would have gotten back around," Shunsui said glaring at his longtime friend. "I'd have found out, and all I've heard are glowing reviews."

"Well, you better hope Kiyoko-san doesn't start spreading rumors," Jyuushiro said and then frowned, "Unless you plan on showing her otherwise?"

"I am never sleeping with that woman ever again," Shunsui said firmly. "I don't care if the baby is mine. I'm not touching her."

"But you plan on getting them away from your parents?"

"She can have the guest room," Shunsui said. "Then we'll figure it out from there."

"Nanao's room?" Jyuushiro asked quietly. Not that Nanao had stayed in the guest room during the course of their relationship, but for years before that Shunsui's guest room had quietly and privately always been referred to as Nanao's room, and it had always been altered or done up for her comfort, reading window seat and all.

"What else am I supposed to do?" Shunsui asked in defeat. "Maybe I could give her my room and take the guest room myself."

"No, Shunsui, I don't think it matters," Jyuushiro said comfortingly. "I shouldn't have said anything at all. Of course, you need to have them with you if the child is yours."

Shunsui sighed and closed his eyes momentarily. "I should go get her tonight. She's leaving for her family's home tomorrow afternoon."

"Or you could wait till she returns?" Jyuushiro offered.

"If I do that, I'll talk myself out of it completely," he said shaking his head. "If her things are already in my home it will be a lot less easy to simply pretend I never thought of it and leave them both to their own devices."

"Right," Jyuushiro agreed wishing he could help his friend more. "And Nanao-san?"

"I'll check with Retsu-san, but I figure she probably won't be fit for visitors until tomorrow afternoon. I'll have plenty of time to make it back," Shunsui said. "You'll look in on her until then?"

"What else do I have to do while I'm confined to the 4th?" Jyuushiro said with a laugh. "I'll make sure she's well."

"And make sure to get better yourself," Shunsui said with a forced grin. "What am I going to do with the two of you?"

"Probably get us both into more trouble the second we're healthy," Jyuushiro said.

"Yare, yare, you all say I'm the bad influence, but look at who ends up in the 4th's beds," Shunsui chastised. He laid a brief hand on his old friend's shoulder and smiled. "Get better. If I were higher rank than you that would be an order."

"Thank kami, you aren't. Think of the chaos that would occur if I always had to follow your orders," Jyuushiro said. "You'll be alright Shun. We'll get through this together."

Shunsui nodded and stood wishing he could go home curl up in his bed and not come out for a week, but now there really was someone depending on him. A child that couldn't defend itself and he certainly wasn't going to let history repeat itself with his family. If he had messed up this bad he certainly wasn't going to allow it to be the kid's burden to bear. He spoke to Retsu briefly, getting confirmation that Nanao would be alright and not liable to wake up before he returned, and then walked out into the night. He would eventually have to shunpo back to his childhood home, but right now he just wanted his last walk alone to last.

* * *

**A/N: Obviously I've been gone for a while :( Sorry guys, I just have the worst case of writer's block yet. I haven't written anything new in weeks, but I didn't think it was fair to wait any longer so here's another chapter and here's hoping I start writing more soon!**

**Thanks for sticking with me! And as always, please review.**


	27. Maggot's Nest

_ She was lost. She hated being lost, but there was no helping it. Some 3__rd__ division creeps hadn't had anything better to do then try to torture her for the evening and she'd evaded them so far by darting into the forest on the grounds of the second division. She could still hear them crashing through the woods behind her though, and she didn't think twice about swimming the river and crawling into the nearest crevice in a cave wall. She'd been hounded by enough bored teenage shinigami to know it was best to keep moving until they well and truly lost interest or discovered weaker prey. Nanao wasn't even sure what she'd done to set them off today. She supposed she shouldn't have been reading while walking. That was the first flag of an easy target. Really, she should know better by now, and she'd lost her book anyway somewhere in the forest during her retreat. She'd have to go back and find it later, although she supposed it was just as well seeing as how it would have gotten as wet as she currently was._

_She sighed as she crawled deeper into the cave tunnel and secretly wished she'd told Kyouraku Taicho where she was going so that he'd notice how long she'd been gone. He'd been out of the office sick today though, which probably just meant he had a hangover. He always lied the next day and told her he'd had a cold, but she was old enough to know when he'd been drinking. She heard the boy's voices from seemingly far away and pressed deeper into the darkness. Sometimes she was very thankful that she was such a small child. It was an advantage when trying to slip into places adults and older children couldn't follow. At least it was hot out and she was starting to dry off from her impromptu swim._

_Nanao altered her course when she saw a faint light illuminating the darkness ahead. There was no point in escaping her torturers only to fall into a pit in the dark cave. She squeezed out between two rocks and then up and over a pile of boulders to find herself standing in a bizarrely hollowed out area that appeared to be man made. There were people inside milling around, but something seemed off about them, and she suddenly had a very bad feeling about her route of escape._

"_One, two, buckle my shoe," a woman rambled as she walked towards where Nanao stood indecisively, wondering if she should slip back through the crack and face the known evil. "Three, four, shut the door." The woman stopped in front of Nanao and started cackling. "Shut the door! Shut the door!"_

"_How many times have I told you to shut up with that stupid rhyme?" a man bellowed before he charged the woman and tackled her right into the pile of rocks Nanao had previously been perched on, but had jumped away from just in time. Two more men ran out to join the fray and Nanao couldn't tell if they were trying to stop the fight or make it bigger. Reiatsu spiked, and Nanao scuttled away from the fight and deeper into the compound wondering if she should have braved the brawling people for her only known method of escape. A huge crash and a breaking noise behind her made her more confident she'd made the right decision._

_People wandered seemingly aimlessly, most didn't seem to be entirely aware of where they were, and Nanao tried to stick to the walls as she attempted to figure out where she was and better yet where the exit was. She was so busy watching for possible attacks that she didn't notice the person lying on the ground in front of her until she tripped over them. The girl stared blankly up at the ceiling and then started wailing like an animal caught in a trap. Nanao shoved herself to her feet and stumbled past the keening girl as she lay unmoving on the ground and around the corner._

"_Tachio, I'll make it work I promise," a crazed man yelled as he charged her. "My pretty Taicho." It was only the hand over her mouth that kept her from screaming when she was tugged behind a nearby boulder and out of the newest man's line of sight._

"_Shhh," the man who had grabbed her hushed. "What'd a kid like you do to get thrown in the Maggot's Nest?"_

"_The what?" she asked mimicking the man and whispering._

"_The Maggot's Nest, the detention unit," he clarified gesturing to their surroundings. "Can't imagine you're much of threat to the Gotei 13. You're just a baby."_

"_I'm not a baby," she protested fisting her hands on her hips. "I just got in here through a crack."_

"_Where?" the man snapped suddenly interested. His abrupt intensity frightened her and she lied._

"_I'm not sure," she said. "Somewhere in that direction."_

"_Let's go," he said hauling her to her feet and dragging her along behind him in the incorrect direction she had indicated. "You have to help me get out of here. I was innocent. I didn't do anything, and I didn't even get a trail, just all of a sudden locked up."_

"_What is this place?" she asked again struggling to keep up with his long strides and his tugging hand, but loath to leave his side as he seemed to be the only person exhibiting any signs of sanity at all._

"_It's where they put you when they want to forget you. It's what they do if you break any of their rules or may break any of their rules," he said scanning the area desperately and urging her along. "Doesn't matter if it's your fault or not, they'll just lock you up and throw away the keys."_

"_Who?"_

"_The Gotei 13 of course. Not even your division will know what happened to you. You'll just disappear," he ranted on. "One day you're there and the next you're just not. Like you never existed."_

_Nanao felt a shiver go down her spine and wondered if something like this had happened to Yadomaru fukutaicho. All she wanted to do now was get loose of this man's hold and make a break for the tunnel she came in through and away from the nightmare world she'd discovered._

"_Hurry up, we've got to avoid the guard's second sweep. Now where is this exit?"_

"_I don't know. I can't remember. Please, let go," she said starting to struggle._

"_Make a noise and I'll let the crazy ones have you," the man threatened and continued to walk and maintain his hold on her. He tugged her behind him, as she could only assume what was the guard swept by them, and then continued her forward again. It crossed her mind to call out to them, but had to wonder if the guards would be any better than the prisoners._

_Nanao started contemplating kido spells that would distract him long enough for her to escape and found her brain oddly blank. She really really did not like this place, and she was starting to panic as the man dragged her further away from the exit and into what looked like more restricted tunnels._

_A door burst open up ahead and a man ran out screaming and holding his hand, which appeared to be steaming rather dangerously. Nanao and her captor flattened themselves against the wall and tried to be invisible as the man ran howling down the corridor. _

"_Well, that was a failed trial," a voice said in disappointment. Nanao tried to suppress a shudder as the painted man stepped into the hallway. The new Taicho of the 12__th__, Kurotsuchi, was nothing like Urahara Taicho. Urahara had always been quick with a smile and a laugh and she'd enjoyed the few times she'd met him. Not that they had any personal relationship, but she had occasionally studied with Akon in the 12__th__ and run into the likeable Taicho. "Perhaps it would be better to just start from scratch after all," Kuotsuchi muttered. "Impossible to find good help."_

_Nanao couldn't decided whether she wanted the Taicho to walk by without seeing them or if she wanted him to notice and get her away from the deranged man currently holding her hand. Given that could be a case of getting out of the pan and into the fire. An ill-timed noise from down the tunnel took away her options though as it drew the Taicho out of his inner musing and he glanced around. "Where are you going?"_

"_Nowhere, sir," the man shuddered next to her._

"_What are you?" Kurotsuchi asked staring down at Nanao._

"_8__th__ division, Ise Nanao, sir," she stuttered out bowing politely as the man next to her tried to creep away.  
"Ah, yes, Kyouraku's newest shadow," Kurostuchi said looking her over and then seeming to get bored. He looked for a moment like he had every intention of passing her by and she still couldn't decide whether she was pleased with that fact or not. Then he suddenly stopped and turned on her. "Why are you down here? I can't imagine Kyouraku would quietly let you be arrested and taken away here. Did you perform some sort of illegal kido? That is your strong point is it not?"_

"_I got lost. I'm not supposed to be here," she said honestly._

_Kurostuchi cackled. "No one is supposed to be here. Interesting that you haven't been killed yet. You, what did you want with it?"_

_Nanao supposed she was the "it" and felt the man next to her flinch. "I was just looking out for the tiny thing."_

"_Aren't you the one who was in solitary just last week for killing a man down here? Yes, you were test subject 44B," Kurostuchi said analyzing him. "Already up and around. Hmm, perhaps I could use you again."_

_Suddenly Nanao felt herself pulled in front of the man and surprisingly strong hands twisting her head on her neck uncomfortably. "Try to experiment on me again and I'll break her neck."_

"_What do I care?" Kurostuchi asked with a shrug. "All children are replaceable."_

_She felt the man's grip tighten and her fight or flight kicked in. Nanao started to struggle and blasted the man off of her with a shot of red fire. She wasn't sure Kurostuchi was to be trusted, but at least he hadn't threatened to directly kill her yet._

"_Hmm, that man really shouldn't be in here if such a low life form can decommission him so easily. He poses no threat. What an idiot," Kurostuchi finished with a shrug. Then he started to stride down the hall and Nanao bounded after him. After all he must have some way of getting in and out._

"_Why are you following me?"_

"_I need to get out," Nanao said simply. "I shouldn't be here."_

"_And how do you know that?"_

"_I haven't done anything wrong," she replied._

"_Doesn't matter," Kurostuchi said gleefully. "They can make you disappear for whatever they damn please, just helps if you actually broke some law or another."_

"_Well I'm not supposed to be here," she argued stubbornly trying to push away the panic of being left down here. "Kyouraku Taicho will come looking if I don't go back to the 8__th__ soon."_

"_Why do you follow Kyouraku around?"_

"_Huh?" she asked stupidly unable to follow his line of questioning._

"_The drunkard, why do you follow him?"_

"_He's my Taicho," Nanao answered uncertainly._

"_Yes, but you follow him about socially," Kurostuchi commented scrutinizing her over his shoulder. "I don't spend time with my unseated division members unless I'm running trials. So why are you always around him?"_

_Nanao swallowed hard trying not to imagine what sorts of trials he'd be running and said honestly, half convinced this man was a human lie detector or had modified himself to be one, "He's nice to me. He likes to read with me. Kyouraku Taicho seems to like me around, and if I'm at his side then I can look after him better."_

"_Why look after him at all?" Kurostuchi asked interested._

"_Well because he looks after me," she said confused. "Kyouraku Taicho says the 8__th__ is like a family and a family looks out for one another."_

"_Family, huh?" Kurostuchi muttered. "Would you die for him?"_

"_Of course, sir," Nanao said hoping they would reach an exit soon. _

"_Interesting," Kurostuchi said thoughtfully. "A child would be very loyal and easily influenced, but so easily broken. Improvements would need to be made." Nanao didn't know what to say to that so she just continued along behind him and hoped he wouldn't shoo her away._

"_This way then," he said as they finally came to a large guarded door._

"_To where?" Nanao asked._

"_The 12__th__," he answered absentmindedly. "I have a few things I'd like to look into."_

_They walked through the heavy doors and Nanao severely contemplated bolting. She'd get a harsh talking to later for disrespecting a Taicho if she got away, but frankly the man gave her the willies. She doubted Kyouraku Taicho would get too mad if she just said she was scared, he'd probably even think it was cute. The thought made her growl in her own head. She didn't want to be cute. She wanted to be fierce like Yadomaru fukutaicho. She'd simply bare up with it. It wasn't like he could kill her without repercussions, probably._

_Nanao wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was pleased when they happened to bump into Kyouraku Taicho and Kaien Fukutaicho headed down the street. It seems her Taicho's "sickness" had passed enough for him to be up and about at least. She nearly charged into his arms, but at the last second restrained herself and stood stoically next to the 12__th__ division Taicho._

"_Mayuri-kun, what are you doing with my Nanao-chan?" Kyouraku called happily as the two groups paused facing one another._

"_Nothing she won't return from," Kurostuchi dismissed rapidly starting to move forward again._

"_Isn't there someone in your division that will do?" Kyouraku asked calmly. "Unfortunately I need her help right now."_

"_I don't believe they allow minors into the bars," Kurostuchi said dryly. "I'll return her in one piece."_

"_One piece or no, I need her back now," Kyouraku said with a shrug._

_Kurostuchi sighed, but turned back to glance down at Nanao. "How well do you survive broken bones?"_

"_About like everyone else I suppose, sir," she squeaked._

"_And poison?"_

"_Not very well at all, sir," Nanao answered suddenly wondering if all in one piece really qualified as happy and healthy in Kurostuchi's mind._

_He made a thoughtful hum and then said, "What would cause you to stop fighting for your Taicho?"_

"_Nothing, sir," Nanao answered earnestly and blushed when she realized she'd said it in front of Kyouraku. She glanced in his direction and only got the briefest glimpse of a sad smile._

"_Excellent," Kurostuchi said. "I have much to do. You may have her back." Then he wandered off like he'd done them all a favor._

"_How'd that one get you Nanao-chan?" Kaien asked with a dramatic shiver._

"_We just bumped into each other," Nanao said vaguely. _

"_What happened to your cheek?" Kyouraku asked gently, and it reminded Nanao that a tree branch had lashed her there earlier when she was fleeing her pursuers. _

"_Ah, just a twig," Nanao said rubbing at it and wincing as she got some dirt in the scratch making it sting._

"_Yare, yare, don't touch it," Kyouraku chastised lightly scooping her up and pulling her hand away. She flushed furiously, but didn't fight him. It'd been a long day and his arms felt like coming home. "We'll get Jyuu-chan to play nurse. We were just headed over there anyway."_

"_Don't you mean doctor?" Kaien asked._

"_Don't you think that sounds dirtier?" Kyouraku shot back as they started to walk._

_Kaien laughed and said, "Now that you mention it they both sound kind of dirty. Why don't we just say Ukitake Taicho will fix her up?"_

"_Because there is nothing broken about my Nanao-chan," Kyouraku said looking dramatically offended. "She's perfect just the way she is, even with a busted up cheek."_

"_I don't know about that," Kaien teased. "Don't you think her eyes are a little too close together?"_

"_Are you going to take that, Nanao-chan?" Kyouraku asked indignantly._

_Nanao just giggled and snuggled in closer to her Taicho as the two men continued to walk and argue on about other senseless things. She raised her hand to rub her stinging cheek unconsciously and Kyouraku grabbed her fingers and stopped her before she could. "No touching, that's an order," he said with a grin._

"_Yes, Kyouraku Taicho," she said simply. She couldn't be happier that she'd been placed in the 8__th__ and not with someone creepy like the 12__th__ division Taicho. She never planned on leaving. _

_Nanao's head started to hurt and she shook it trying to clear away the cobwebs. The movement only seemed to make it worse though._ She tried again and felt herself slowly moving out of her dreams and into reality.

Blinking her eyes, Nanao quickly realized she was in a room in the 4th and her head was pounding. It took her a few minutes to remember the fight with Kenpachi before she could quite figure out where she was.

The dream was really an old memory that she hadn't actively thought about in quite sometime. She still got shivers remembering the Maggot's Nest she'd stumbled into as a little girl. Years later when she'd discovered her shikai she'd had no doubt in her mind that it was a big enough offense to get her locked up in the detainment unit. Being able to bend space itself was dangerous and already an illegal kido. She didn't think the Gotei 13 would take the thought of her being able to simply place an exploding kido inside their brains whenever the fancy caught her would go over very well and she'd hidden it since the first moment she'd recognized what it was she could do. It was easy enough to say that it just magnified her kido when she could instantly transport a kido spell from its origin to its destination. Without having to travel it was faster and hadn't lost any energy in the process. As long as this was done quickly without intense scrutiny most people didn't figure out what was actually occurring, especially if she didn't place it inside the body, but rather right in front of the target. She'd realized shortly she could do the same with small physical objects too, quite easily with her zanpakto in fact, but had never let that particular talent be viewed, as it would instantly expose her ability. Pure energy was much easier to play with without anyone being the wiser.

Even if the Gotei 13 did figure out what she was doing and felt comfortable enough to allow her to continue with them she had no doubt in her mind that she'd either be shipped off to the kido corps or the 2nd to work as an assassin. She could only imagine any bankai she might achieve would allow her to manipulate space on a greater scale, maybe even one day to the point where she could move herself right through walls and locked doors. The thought of slipping into enemies homes and killing them in their sleep held no particular appeal to her though, and she was well aware of the fact that the Gotei 13 would have no qualms employing her as such. It'd be the Maggot's Nest, a life of endless killing, or a life constantly on the run if her zanpaktou's ability was ever discovered.

Nanao groaned as she shook her depressing thoughts away and pushed herself up in the bed. Her head and neck hurt and she'd be more than pleased to have a healer swing by with some pain killing kido or medicine. Glancing around the room she found herself utterly alone and tried not to feel hurt. It was the first time she'd ever woken up in the 4th alone in hundreds of years. Without fail Shunsui had always been at her side like an overanxious puppy when she opened her eyes. She supposed she shouldn't have expected anything else, but she felt almost like she was still inside a dream without him there to fuss over her. She glanced around for a call button for a healer and was halted in her search as the door creaked open.

"You're awake," Jyuushiro said with a pleased smile as he came further into the room.

"So the throbbing in my head keeps reminding me," she said giving him a weak smile.

"I'll get Retsu-san," he said and she didn't argue. He slipped out of the room again and she leaned back once more. She'd been a moron the other night to expose her power like that. Hopefully the fight with Kenpachi had distracted him and everyone else from the more dangerous matter. A concussion she could handle, all the other options were unacceptable.

A half hour later with the healing kidos applied and Jyuushiro sitting next to her bed again Nanao was getting drowsy. "Aren't you supposed to be in bed too?" she asked.

"Retsu-san doesn't mind so much if I'm just walking down the hall and sitting," he said with a smile. Nanao really wanted to ask where Shunsui was, but her pride wouldn't let her do it. "You may have explained this already, but why were you in a fight with Kenpachi in the first place?"

"It was stupid," Nanao sighed.

"What happened?"

"He was just insulting Shunsui and I lost it," Nanao admitted and then bit her tongue to punish herself for using his first name.

"People always insult Shunsui," Jyuushiro said tolerantly. "Perhaps next time you should fight one of them instead of Zaraki Taicho."

"Most people don't have the guts to say Kyouraku Taicho's been training me up to be his play thing my entire life," Nanao groused. "They may think it, but they know better than to say it." She saw Jyuushiro's look darken which was impressive as it took quite a lot to make the calm older man angry.

"Nanao-san, you should ignore them," Jyuushiro scolded halfheartedly.

"Don't you mean I should ignore them if they can beat me?" she asked frustrated. "I'm getting stronger Jyuushiro-san. Neither you nor Kyouraku Taicho can change that. I'm going to be able to take him on one day."

Not without me, she heard Kage whisper in the back of her mind. You can train all you like, but if you ignore me you'll never make your potential.

"I'm not trying to stop you," Ukitake said. "I'm merely pointing out that might does not equal right and that was something you used to be well aware of."

"But might sure as hell helps," she said confidently. She didn't mean to worry her long time friend and mentor, but she was simply tired of taking the abuse and she didn't plan to for much longer.

Jyuushiro reached out and pressed a loose lock of hair behind her ear with a sigh. "I know I have no right to interfere, but please don't take up with Kenpachi. If it has to be someone stay with Kuchiki-san or Hisagi-san," he said and must have seen the defense spring to her eyes. "It's said with a fatherly concern, Nanao-san. Don't date the bad boy just to piss off your ex. Either of the other two will do just as nicely."

"Stop it!" Nanao shouted and the volume hurt her own head. "Why does everyone think everything I'm doing is focused on getting back at Kyouraku-san? Even you. I'm training to better myself. I took the job because I wanted to. And I have never in my entire life been the woman that dates and screws someone just to get someone else jealous. I will be with whoever I choose to be with because its what I want and I couldn't give two shits what Shunsui thinks on the matter."

Jyuushiro winced and looked properly chastised. "I'm sorry, Nanao-san, I didn't mean it quite that way."

"Please leave," she said more calmly. She hated being rude to Jyuushiro, but she was tired and annoyed and frankly a little more than irritated that Shunsui was still not here.

Jyuushiro stood calmly and kept his face carefully neutral. "I really do apologize Nanao-san. I only want what's best for you, but I will, of course, respect your wishes." He moved out of the room and revealed Hisagi standing indecisively at the door with a vase of flowers. "Hisagi Taicho," Jyuushiro greeted benignly, but Nanao could hear the underlying upset in his voice and wanted to give herself another concussion for hurting him.

"Ukitake Taicho," Hisagi replied bowing slightly. He glanced over at Nanao and asked, "Bad time?"

"It's fine," Nanao answered giving him a weak smile. "I think I'm done being an ass to one of my most loyal friends and truest supporters." Jyuushiro flashed her a brief half smile and a nod, and while she knew she'd apologize more thoroughly later it would do for now. Ukitake slipped out of the room and Hisagi entered it.

"I, er, heard about the fight with Kenpachi and thought you might like some flowers," he said placing them on her side table.

"Thank you," she said. "That was very thoughtful."

"Yeah," he agreed looking a little uncomfortable for having overheard her and Jyuushiro's argument. "You look better than I thought you would."

Nanao burst out laughing at that. "And how did you think I would look?"

"Well from the way people were telling it," he said plopping down in the vacated chair. "I thought both you and Kenpachi would be missing ligaments."

"All in one piece, except for a few dead brain cells," she said with a laugh.

"Eh, I'm sure you didn't need those anyway with all the ones you've saved by not drinking with the rest of us," he joked.

Nanao smiled but felt a pull in her heart at the simple way he referred to 'the rest of us' as if she were something outside of everyone else. True, it had always been that way, but she was always hurt to be reminded of it. In the past she'd always comforted herself with the fact that while she was not part of the rest of us she was part of Kyouraku and Ukitake's friendship. Now she wasn't quite sure where she fit.

"So how long are you stuck here?" he asked shifting in the chair uncomfortably. It was obvious Hisagi had not spent a lot of time sitting by bedsides in the 4th and clearly didn't enjoy it.

"I'll be released later tonight," Nanao said with a shrug. "It's really not that bad. I just might have some vertigo and headaches for a week or two."

"Well that's good I guess," he said scratching the back of his neck. "We'll have to grab dinner to celebrate."

"Sure," Nanao said with a smile. "I owe you a rain check anyway."

There was silence for a few moments and then Hisagi sighed. "Look, Nanao-san, are you seeing someone right now?"

"I see you. My head isn't that damaged," she said being intentionally difficult. She didn't love vague questions, and it annoyed her when people couldn't just say what they meant. If he wanted to know if she was dating someone then he'd have to ask outright.

"Oh, well, that's not exactly what I meant," he said shifting nervously.

"Oh?" she asked innocently.

"Well, no," he answered considering every word. "I meant more like are you dating anyone right now?"

"I see," she said calmly. "No, I'm not."

He looked relieved and she wondered what stories were going around the streets of the Seireitei about her. "Look, I know I just said we'd go to dinner as friends, but I'd really like to make it a date."

He looked at her anxiously and she felt her stomach do a flip. Her first instinct was to say no gently, but then glancing around the room one final time and still not finding Shunsui there, she couldn't seem to remember why she would. This was the way it was going to be from now on. "Ok," she said simply.

"So yes then," Hisagi clarified grinning.

"Yes," Nanao said mustering a smile.

"Tomorrow night?" Hisagi asked. "I could pick you up at your place around 8ish?"

"Sure, tomorrow night," she agreed. "I'm really sorry, but I need to take a nap now. My head is hurting."

"Oh right, of course," he said happily. "Feel better and see you tomorrow. Unless you want me to walk you home tonight?"

"No, that's all right, Ukitake-san said he'd help me," she lied. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Hisagi left the room and Nanao took a deep breath in the quiet air. She was supposed to be happy. She was getting stronger, she'd stood up to Kenpachi, and she had a date with an attractive, interesting man her own age. Nanao hoped it was just the head injury that was making her slightly nauseous. The room tilted again and she shut her eyes and let sleep take her.

She must have slept for a few hours because when she woke up again Shunsui was sitting in the chair next to her bed. He didn't notice when she woke up, and she took the rare occurrence to look him over. Usually the moment she opened her eyes he was all over her cooing. Now he just looked preoccupied and overwhelmed staring into the corner of the room. Nanao shifted in the bed and his eyes swept over to her.

"How're you feeling, Nanao-chan?"

"Better," she said truthfully. "You weren't here this morning."

"Ah, no," he said quietly. "I had a few things to get done, and I didn't think you were going to wake up till this afternoon. Sorry about that."

"It's alright," she said with a shrug as she sat up slowly. "It's not your responsibility to be here. It was just an observation." She saw him flinch, and couldn't help feeling a little better for having hurt him too. It was petty, but she'd hated waking up alone more than she thought she would.

"Nanao, I need to talk to you," he said morosely and she got a powerfully bad feeling about what was coming next.

"Well, I'm not going anywhere fast," she said coldly, mentally steeling herself for whatever was about to be said.

"You're going to hear rumors, and I want you to have it from me first," he said meeting her eyes. "I want you to have the truth." She watched him silently and said nothing to interrupt him. "I moved Kiyoko into my house this morning. She's staying in the guest room. I have no intention of marrying her or having any real relationship with her, but if that child is mine I'm sure as hell not going to let my family get their claws in it. I had to get her away from there. I had to take responsibility and protect them. I'm sorry."

"It's not any of my concern," Nanao replied in a rigidly calm voice. "They're your family, of course you have to do what's best for them. You'll be a good father."

"Nanao-chan," he said and reached out for her hand, which she stiffly pulled away. He dropped his hand in defeat and hunched back in the chair.

"It's fine. I knew this was going to have to happen. You were the only one in denial," she said holding down her urge to cry. It was true, she had known it was going to have to happen. They were both going to have to move on, but it still felt like something inside of her was slowly suffocating and dying.

"It's for the baby," he said. "Not the girl. I don't want anything to do with her, and I know you won't have me, but please for kami sake don't hate me for this."

"I already told you," she said. "I could never hate you."

The silence stretched and Nanao wondered if she could make him leave. She wanted to scream and cry and throw a fit and she didn't want to be anywhere near him when she did. Unohana happened by to save the day. She processed her quickly and did one more thorough scan before announcing Nanao fit enough to go home.

"You do have someone to escort you, right?" Unohana asked lightly.

"I can," Kyouraku started to say.

"Hisagi-san said he'd walk me home," Nanao answered, which technically was the truth, and then she lied, "he should be here in a few minutes in fact."

"Good," Unohana said briskly. "Make sure to get lots of rest over the next few days and avoid any further head injuries. It'd really be best if you had someone to stay with you tonight."

"Yes, Unohana Taicho, it won't be a problem," Nanao said contritely. The healer swept out of the room and Kyouraku stood up uncomfortably.

"You're sure you don't want me to walk you?" he asked.

"Shuuhei-san will be here soon enough," she said with a shrug. "There's no need. You have people waiting for you at home. You should go."

Shunsui opened his mouth as if to say something and then closed it again. "Take care, Nanao-chan."

"You too," she said softly and gave him a few minutes head start before getting out of the bed herself. She walked home slowly that night and stopped by the hell butterfly cages on her way out of the 4th. They weren't supposed to be used for personal messages, but as she was sending it to the Rukongai if it was tracked she could always say it was business.

She made it home and got her shoes off before there was a knock on the door. She pushed it open and sank into her brother's waiting arms.

"Shhh, Nao-chan," he soothed as he pressed them back into her entranceway and shut the door behind him. "Everything is going to be alright."

"Thank you for coming, Nii-san," she sniffled into his chest.

"Anything for my little sister," he said hugging her tightly. "Didn't I promise you you'd never be alone again?"

"Stay here tonight?" she asked, feeling like a child, but needing the comfort. It was all real. There was no waking up from this bad dream anymore. Shunsui had a child with someone else and they were going to have to start planning their futures apart.

"Anything you need," he said without hesitation. "I'll even make you my world famous Tsukimi udon,"

"Which is still one of the only things you know how to make," Nanao said with a slight laugh.

"Only the best for Nao-chan," he said moving into her apartment further and giving Boo a welcoming pet. "Come on then."

Nanao curled up on her couch with Boo in her lap and listened to her brother move around the kitchen. It was good to have family, and it was good to be loved. Life would go on, but she didn't think anyone would judge her too harshly if she had one more good final cry later that evening.

* * *

**A/N: A little delayed again, I know :( Hopefully its long enough and good enough to make up for it. Still in the midst of writer's block, but I am apartment sitting for a friend next weekend so hopefully I can crack it and get back to my weekly postings.**

**Please review and keep me coming back for more!**


	28. Closure

Nanao woke up to the sound of soft voices. She glanced around her room and discovered that Boo had already vacated his normal spot on her bed. Her head spun a bit as she sat up and she was looking forward to taking some painkillers as she headed towards her living room. Mamoru was leaning against the kitchen doorframe talking to Rangiku who was seated on her couch petting Boo while he purred.

"Morning, sunshine," her brother called easily, causing Rangiku to turn.

"Oh good!" Rangiku called. "From the rumors I thought you were in about five different pieces. Given I knew that couldn't be true as Kyouraku hadn't ripped Kenpachi apart yet, but still it sounded bad."

"One solid piece," Nanao confirmed and then turned to whine to her brother. "Can I have my pills now?"

"On the table right there," he said with a laugh. "I figured you'd be up soon. I'm surprised you could sleep through the beating Matsumoto-san gave your front door."

"I had to see Nanao-chan," Rangiku said sticking out her bottom lip in an overblown pout. "She could have been bleeding to death on the floor for all I knew."

"I doubt Unohana Taicho would have let me leave just to go home and die on the floor," Nanao said rolling her eyes.

"Yes, but I knew something was already wrong because when I ran into Kyouraku on my way to the 4th and asked about you he said you were walking home with Shuuhei-kun, then I go and find Shuu and he says you're walking home with Ukitake-san, but I knew he was still in the 4th. You made my heart stop for a moment."

"Well, I'm fine, as you can see," Nanao said curling up onto the other end of the couch. Boo crept off Rangiku's lap and became a furry purring ball in her own. She glanced back over at Rangiku and saw the look the woman always got when she had some juicy gossip, although it seemed by far less joyful than usual. "Nii-san, would you mind terribly running out and getting us all something for breakfast? I don't have anything pre-made in the house. There's cash in the third drawer on the left in the kitchen."

"I think I can afford breakfast for us," Mamoru said rolling his eyes. "I'll be back. Take the painkillers and enjoy your girl talk. I know Rangiku-san's just been dying to get you alone and tell you how dashing she thinks your brother is." That said he gave them both a smile and a wink and strolled out the door.

"Well, what is it?" Nanao asked reaching for the glass of water and the medicine while being careful not to knock Boo out of her lap. "And it better not be that you are into my brother, because if you are I just kind of don't want to know."

"Honey, your brother is cute and all, but he looks just a bit too much like you for my comfort. Not to say your unattractive, but that would just make for some awkward sex. No, I wanted to talk about a rumor I heard," Rangiku started getting more serious. "And I don't know for sure if it's true, but I thought you'd better hear it from me." Nanao nodded feeling like she had a pretty good idea what was coming next and let Rangiku go on. "I heard Kyouraku Taicho moved the woman into his own quarters."

"I know," Nanao said softly stroking down Boo's back.

"You do? How?"

"He told me."

"That cheating bastard," Rangiku raged. "And after all that saying he still wanted you and he only loved you he goes to whatever easy tramp will open her legs. I'm going to kill him."

"It's ok," Nanao said cutting her off. "It's what I've been telling him to do from the start. He has to take care of them. We knew that."

"Nanao, you can't be ok with this," Rangiku said looking at her in surprise.

"It's awful as usual," Nanao said with a shrug. "But it is his child Ran. What else is he supposed to do?"

"We don't know that," Rangiku said firmly.

"It doesn't matter. I love him, but regardless of the baby we can never go back to the way we were," Nanao said honestly. "I can't just be his sweet pathetic side kick any longer."

"Nanao," Rangiku said haltingly. "He never thought of you as that."

"No, he didn't, but it's what I was," she said simply.

"So what are you going to do?" Rangiku asked.

"Once the painkiller kicks in I was thinking about lying around and reading and then taking a nap," Nanao said with a laugh. "I have a date with Hisagi-san tonight if I feel up to it." The shriek Matsumoto let out had Nanao wincing in agony and Boo on all fours at high alert. Then Boo had to scramble to avoid getting crushed in the suffocating hug that had Nanao's head spinning.

"We have so much to do," Rangiku cheered. "We'll make Kyouraku curse the day he cheated on you."

"Head, Rangiku, head," Nanao mumbled into the other woman's debilitating embrace.

"Oh right, sorry, forgot," Rangiku replied releasing her happily.

"I'm going to need more drugs," Nanao whined shifting gently back on to her couch.

"I'll get more, then you'll definitely be able to make your date. Oh, what are you going to wear? And we have to figure out what to do with your hair. It should be down, Shuuhei likes long hair," Rangiku rambled out loud.

"You plan silently," Nanao said scooping up a thoroughly irritated Boo as she stood up from the couch. "I'm going to take a bath. Let me know when the food gets here."

Nanao was not entirely sure how she survived the rest of the day. Between Matsumoto's scheming and her brother encouraging the woman Nanao barely got any rest at all except for a nap stolen in the middle of the afternoon. By eight o'clock she found herself in a red sundress with her hair down still feeling slightly off and really wishing she could crawl back into bed.

No such luck though as Hisagi was right on time, and Matsumoto enjoyed throwing the door open and squealing for a bit while her brother tried to look like a tough yakuza in the corner. Kami, sometimes she hated her friends and family.

"Hello, Hisagi-san," she greeted once he made it past the threshold of her door.

"Hi," he said looking a bit flustered by all the attention being focused on him. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm doing alright," she said watching as Boo crept up to Hisagi's legs to investigate. Everyone's attention focused on the cat who sniffed his pant leg, glanced up a him, and then turned his back on him, jumped up into a chair, and promptly went to sleep with great indifference.

"Well, at least he doesn't hate you," Rangiku giggled.

"Are you ready to go?" Hisagi asked clearly wanting to get out of the present situation.

Nanao didn't blame him. She gave him a weak smile and said, "Sure."

"Hang on one second," her brother said and Nanao groaned internally. "You see that smile my sister is wearing?"

"Er, yes?" Hisagi asked glancing back at Nanao who was now maintaining a strained smile.

"She better come back wearing the same smile," Mamoru said ginning viciously. "Or else you and I are going to have a talk."

"Yes," Hisagi agreed hastily.

Rangiku latched on to her brother's arm laughing and shooed them out the door saying, "You kids have fun now. Don't come back too early!"

Nanao and Hisagi walked away, and she could see him visibly relax the further they got. "Don't mind my brother," she said lightly. "He's all bark and no bite."

"Right," Hisagi said looking unconvinced.

"So where are we going?" Nanao asked trying to get them on a more comfortable topic.

"Oh, a restaurant in the 1st," he said looking happier. "I'm sure you'll love it. How's your head doing?"

"It's alright," she said with a shrug. "Feels like my brain got knocked around a bit, but I'll recover."

"If you aren't up to tonight," he started.

"No, I'm ok. Can't stand you up twice in a row," she said with a half smile. "Food always makes things better."

"Can I ask why you were fighting with Kenpachi?" he asked tilting his head to the side inquisitively.

"It was stupid," she said lightly. "He made me mad, I'd had a bad day, and then things went boom."

"Things often go boom around him," Hisagi noted.

Nanao laughed lightly and they walked on in silence for a while. It started to get awkward and she started digging for something to say. Unfortunately, like usual, the only things that came to mind were vastly inappropriate for the situation and were what often brought her dates to a crashing halt. She highly doubted Hisagi wanted to hear about the hairball Boo had brought up a week ago which had taken her an hour and a pair of scissors to get off of her rug, nor did he probably want to hear about the life cycles of the hell butterfly which was the topic of the book she was currently reading. Although she supposed the latter was still better than the former if you ignored the part where the dying hell butterflies become the food for the freshly hatched larva. It was a little known fact that tended to freak people out.

"So do you ever attend the sumo matches in the 1st?" Hisagi asked randomly, obviously trying to fill the conversation void as well.

"Um, I have a few times," Nanao offered. "I'm not really a huge sports fan." She knew quite a few in squad 8 had attended all the matches and enjoyed betting on them. She'd gone once when she was a teenager with a group of Rangiku's friends and another time with the 8th when her and Kyouraku had been begged into going. Kyouraku had never really enjoyed the sport though, saying he saw no reason to waste time watching two big men fondle each other, but that if it were women it'd be another story. Needless to say they hadn't been big sumo fans. Besides it was still generally looked down upon for women to attend the matches. "Do you go a lot?"

"A few times a year," Hisagi said nodding. The conversation stalled again and Nanao tried to think of something related to sports that might interest him. It was about then that she realized her knowledge of sports was pretty much limited to just the names of various ones.

"Have you ever been horseback riding?" Nanao asked.

"No," Hisagi said with a laugh. "I was too poor to own one when I was a kid and didn't have much need after I learned shunpo. Why?"

"Oh, I just find it fun," Nanao said with a blush. "I learned when I was younger, and now sometimes I go riding in the Rukongai. I was just curious."

"Could be fun," Hisagi said scratching the back of his neck. "Maybe we can go sometime?"

"Yeah, that'd be nice," Nanao said nodding. She briefly wondered how the Higurashi would react to yet another shinigami in their midst and winced. It probably wouldn't go well.

"Is it just me or is this incredibly awkward?" Hisagi asked with a sigh.

"I don't think it's just you," Nanao said honestly.

"What's wrong with the two of us?" he asked. "We're just fine when we're practicing together."

"Well there's no implied meaning when we're just knocking practice swords around," Nanao said with a shrug.

"And now there is?"

"Well, dating implies romantic interest, which implies intimate contact, which generally implies some sort of long term commitment, which implies a whole slew of other responsibilities," Nanao said feeling more and more uncomfortable as she thought about it.

"What if we just call this dinner than instead of a date and it can just imply that we're both hungry and enjoy each other's company?" he offered.

"That would remove some of the more bothersome aspects," Nanao agreed.

"Would it negate the intimate contact?" he asked suddenly.

Nanao rolled her eyes instantly more at ease and said, "Maybe. Depends on if I still enjoy your company at the end of the eating part."

He laughed and the weirdness was broken as they slipped into a conversation about food and restaurants. It wasn't until they were being seated at the table that Nanao realized the reason she'd suddenly gotten so comfortable was because his semi-suggestive comment had been familiar and reminded her of being with Kyouraku. She still had a ways to go.

The dinner passed uneventfully with comfortable small talk. Most of it revolved around the Gotei 13, the SWA, and then eventually The Seireitei Communication.

"Your column is still doing well," Hisagi said as they waited on dessert. "We always get tons of advice request letters."

"Its nice to be able to help occasionally," Nanao said modestly. "People really underestimate the power of the pen. Do you ever want to write for the paper and not just edit?"

"Er, I did once," he said rubbing the back of his neck and blushing lightly. "It didn't go over so well."

"Oh! I'd forgotten that," Nanao said struggling to hold down a laugh. "Didn't Ran spend like a week trying to get you to come out of your office?"

"It was only three days!" he defended and Nanao finally did laugh.

"It couldn't have been that bad," she said grinning.

"I suppose writing is just not one of my talents," Hisagi said with a sigh.

"Perhaps you just aren't good at editing yourself," Nanao said with a shrug. "You should try again. I'd be happy to read over it for you."

"Well I did have a few ideas," he said looking pleased.

"I'm sure they're great," Nanao said comfortingly. "They couldn't be worse than 'The Rose Colored Path'."

"Didn't it upset him how badly it was received?" Hisagi asked sounding like he obviously tried to avoid saying Kyouraku's name.

Nanao snorted and shook her head. "Kyouraku-san very rarely cares what other people think of him. I just thanked kami every day that he wasn't encouraged to write more. I spent months trying to avoid him in the office while he tried to think of synonyms for turgid, staff, and penetration."

"I'm kind of surprised smut like that didn't do well," Hisagi said as the waiter put down their dessert.

"Which just shows you didn't read it," Nanao said rolling her eyes. "He ended up using so many vocabulary words it was almost hard to figure out what was going on. It also didn't really have much of a story. It pretty much consisted of a man starting a quest and then having so much sex that he only got about three miles out from his village."

"Isn't that all romance stories?" Hisagi asked raising an eyebrow.

"Trust me, this was bad," Nanao said as they ate. "You spent so much time trying to figure out what was going where that there was no time to get turned on."

"Why'd you read it then?" Hisagi asked.

"Not by choice, trust me," Nanao clarified. "Our secretaries took great joy in reading each chapter out loud in the office with every edition. Not to mention Kyouarku-san reading me excerpts whenever I was stuck at my desk filling out forms."

"The 8th sounds like an interesting place to work," Hisagi said.

"What? You mean you don't force your subordinates to read badly written porn?" Nanao asked mock seriously.

"Well, there is that one night a month," Hisagi joked.

"Now I know you're lying, because if that night actually occurred Rangiku would have already dragged me to it," Nanao said simply.

"Perhaps we should instate one," he said. "Give the division members a real chance to connect."

"Could you imagine the Soutaciho's face when he found out?" Nanao asked smiling. "I think only Kyouraku-san is allowed to get away with stuff like that."

"Yeah, can you say favoritism?" Hisagi griped good-naturedly.

"You don't know the half of it," Nanao said. "One time he and Ukitake-san gave a lecture at the academy and convinced them it was a time honored ritual to cross dress during the last day of Academy exams your senior year. You know the ones that are administered at the1st? As all the other tests for all the other years are given at the Academy itself no one had any proof that older graduates hadn't done it and most of them showed up in the opposite sex's uniforms that day."

"Did they get in trouble?"

"I believe the Soutaicho told them not to do it again and that was the end of that," Nanao said lightly.

"So unfair," Hisagi pouted. "The rest of us would have gotten in tons of trouble for something like that."

"Yes, well since when is life fair?" Nanao asked laughingly, reaching for the check as the waiter set it down. Hisagi pushed her hand away and handed the waiter cash. "You don't have to get the whole thing," she argued.

"Yeah, well life isn't fair, you'll get over it," he said with a smirk and a shrug.

"Thank you," she said finally.

"No problem," he said as he got to his feet and she followed.

The room twisted around at a dizzying angle and she clutched the back of her chair to keep herself upright.

"Are you ok?" he asked noticing her pause.

"Fine," she lied as her head pounded lightly. She had to avoid head trauma in the future. It was absolutely no fun to get over.

"Do you want to grab a drink at the bar down the street then?" he offered taking her words at face value. She would have laughed if she didn't think it would make her queasy. It'd been years since she'd been around a man who couldn't tell when she was lying.

"I don't know that I'm allowed alcohol with the medication I'm on," she said.

"Oh right, stupid of me," he replied frowning.

"No, it's alright, we can go. I'll just be lame and get water," she said with a smile. "It wouldn't be the first time."

"I don't want to force you," he said unsurely as the waiter brought their receipt.

"You aren't forcing me," she said. "Let's go." Really at the moment she just wanted to get into the fresh air to make the queasiness in her belly even out. Stupid concussion.

They walked to the bar slowly and Nanao was glad that Hisagi seemed content to talk about how he'd discovered this restaurant and bar years ago with little input from her. The air was helping though and with each step she felt less woozy although perhaps a little more tired. Maybe coming out the first night following a fight with Kenpachi hadn't been her wisest decision. They walked into the bar and Nanao was happy to sit down again and not have to focus on putting one foot in front of the other. They chatted a bit more about their favorite restaurants before they were interrupted by another group of shinigami.

"Hisagi Taicho," one called approaching the table confidently.

"Kudo-san," he greeted. "How are you?"

"Doing fine, me and the boys were about to start a game of pin, pon, pan," he said easily. "You and your lady friend want to join?"

"Er, we really can't," Hisagi said smiling weakly.

"Oh come on," another man joined in. "Are you really willing to lose your title as the pin, pon, pan king?"

"Yeah, come on, Arata-san's been aching for a rematch since you drank him under the table last game," a third man ribbed.

"I really can't," Hisagi said shooting her an embarrassed grin. She didn't really see what he had to be embarrassed about. If drinking games bothered her she certainly wouldn't have dated Shunsui.

"It's no problem," Nanao said with a shrug. "You should. I need to go anyway. I'm a little worn out."

"Aw, now we didn't mean to drive you away," the first man said. "You're more than welcome to join. Hisagi Taicho's last girlfriend even made it to the finals."

"Kudo-san," Hisagi started to chastise.

"It's really ok," Nanao said with a laugh. "I'm tired and you have a title to defend." She stood up and found herself excited to be going home to sleep. She was more exhausted than she originally thought.

"At least let me walk you home," he offered standing with her.

"I'm a big tough girl," she said with a smile. "I'll be fine."

He followed her out the door all the same and stopped off to the side of the bar with her. "I'll take you home," he repeated.

"And miss the first round?" she asked easily. "Don't worry about it. Sorry I'm bowing out so early. I'm just really tired."

"My friends are idiots," he grumbled.

"They seem like nice idiots," she comforted. "Come on, it's not like I was going to invite you in anyway."

"I did that lousy?" he asked and she laughed.

"I'm not a first date kind of girl," she said with a smile. "Besides my brother might still be there in which case you'd be damaged, or Rangiku might still be there in which case all sorts of weird things would probably occur. It's better left for another night."

"But there will be another night?" he asked hopefully.

"That depends on you," she said. "I'm also not the type of girl that asks a boy out."

"So old fashioned," he said with an overdramatic sigh. "Guess I'm going to have to."

"Guess so," she said with a shrug.

"I'm going to kiss you," he said simply and when she didn't protest he did. It was nice and warm and not in the least bit slobbery, which Nanao appreciated, but it didn't make her lose her mind. Actually she should probably count that as a benefit. Shunsui's kisses had talked her into doing some stupid things. Here it was, all the feel good without the loss of control.

It broke off slowly and Nanao couldn't help kissing him again if only to get out some of her pent up hormones. It felt good to have big affectionate hands on her neck and lower back again. She ran a hand through his hair and didn't get caught in a tangle even once, which was a change. Maybe leaving early wasn't such a good idea. The kiss deepened and Nanao took a step back to regain her balance and made contact softly with the wall. It was still enough to make her headache known again and she sighed as they broke off.

"I should go," she said quietly, his face still centimeters from her own.

"Yeah," he agreed before kissing her once more. Nanao let her hands wander again and enjoyed his reactions to her. Shunsui seemed to be always capable of keeping in control, slowing the process down. Not that she had complaints. That made for some extra long almost tantric sex more often than not. But she couldn't say it wasn't nice to not be the only one desperate for more. Hisagi pressed in closer and she could practically feel how fast this would be if she gave in. Not bad, just needy and frantic, and different. His kisses had migrated from her mouth to down her neck and she knew she should be telling him to stop.

"Get a room," someone snickered as they entered the bar and saw the couple in shadows, and that was all it took to have them springing apart.

"Right so I should be going," Nanao said.

"Are you completely sure?" he asked, hand still on the juncture of her neck and shoulder.

"Yes," she lied, again surprised when he didn't catch it. "Go defend your title."

"See you soon," he said with a warm smile and one more lingering kiss.

They said their goodbyes and Nanao shunpoed away as he re-entered the bar. Every impact made her feel slightly like she was going to throw up, but she didn't think she could take the long slow walk home. It was over quickly, and she breathed a sigh of relief when she made it in her front door without getting too ill. A minute later she wasn't sure her grand accomplishment would last when she was smothered in an overpowering hug.

"Where's Shuuhei-kun?" Rangiku asked looking around the front entrance as if he would magically appear. "I was going to do a double bear hug."

"He's at the bar with some friends. Can you please get off?" Nanao asked with a groan. "That or get me more medicine."

"He's what?" Rangiku demanded releasing her. "I'm going to kill him!"

"What, why?" Nanao asked although she loathed potentially giving up the sweet relief from her suffocating embrace.

"He just ditched you for his old drinking buddies?" Rangiku asked.

"Oh no, I told him to stay," Nanao said waving her off. "I was ready to go home and they looked like they were going to have a good time so I didn't see any reason for him to leave with me."

"So it was a bust date?" Rangiku asked rhetorically with a sigh as she followed Nanao into her living room.

"What? No," Nanao defended.

"How is him staying with his drinking buddies and you wanting to come home a success?" Rangiku asked confused. "I think Shunsui may have been doing something wrong if that's what you classify as a good date."

Nanao rolled her eyes. "It was fun, we ate and talked. It's not his fault I have a head injury and didn't want to stay out late. Besides what did you think was going to happen? We'd both come back here, rip our clothes off, and go at it like dogs in heat?"

"I'd kind of hoped."

"Ran," Nanao said exasperatedly.

"What? You need to get laid. It'd get you out of some of your melancholy funk, and maybe take out some of your aggression so you don't go about beating up boys who are bigger than you."

"Rangiku, I'm going to bed. Go home," Nanao said lightly heading into the kitchen to pop a pill.

"Come on! Nothing happened at all?" Rangiku whined and trailed after her.

"We kissed and that's it," Nanao said figuring it'd be better to get this over with fast or else she'd never get to sleep.

Rangiku gave a little squeal and bounced around her. "How was it?"

"It was nice," Nanao said with a shrug, swallowing the painkiller and heading towards her bedroom.

"Nice? That's it?" Rangiku asked with a frown.

"Yeah, it felt good," Nanao answered. "What do you want me to say? I'm not going to tell you every intimate detail of my life. I didn't with Shunsui either."

"Yeah, but then you didn't have to," Rangiku explained. "Even if you just said something as boring as, it was nice, you had this stupid love struck look on your face that lasted forever and implied it was not only nice, but mind blowingly amazing."

"I did not," Nanao argued. She had worked quite hard to keep emotions she didn't want made public off her face over the years.

"You did, always," Rangiku said with a laugh. "You aren't as great at being an ice princess as you think."

"Rangiku," Nanao snapped starting to lose her patience. She didn't feel well and she certainly didn't want to think about Shunsui right when she'd had a pleasant night out with no thought of it at all.

"Sorry," Rangiku said wincing. "It just seems like something is missing."

"Well, I'm not in love with Hisagi-san, am I?" Nanao said tiredly slipping into her bathroom to change. Given the choice she didn't particularly like stripping in front of people. "It was fun, it felt good, but I'm not some schoolgirl with a crush."

"So why don't you just go back to Shunsui if you're this hung up on him?" Rangiku asked sourly through the door.

"It's not like I asked for any of this," Nanao growled tugging one of Shunsui's old shirts over her head, and so help her if Rangiku said anything snarky about it she'd tell Hitsugaya where Matsumoto had hidden half a month's worth of paperwork. "It's not like we fell out of love with each other or even really had a fight or any preparation for breaking up. We just were and then we weren't. Excuse me if it's taking me some time to adjust and move on."

Nanao stepped out of the bathroom and got smothered again. "I didn't mean to be harsh," Rangiku said contritely. "I just hate seeing you unhappy. You're right of course. You really didn't get anything like closure. Especially not with Shunsui still hounding after you and professing undying devotion if you only give him another chance."

"Glad we understand each other then," Nanao said tiredly wiggling away from the woman and crawling into bed. She didn't care that she hadn't washed her face or brushed her teeth. It would keep for one night. She also didn't protest when Rangiku crawled under the covers with her.

"That's what you need you know," Rangiku said as Nanao reached out and flipped off the light. "Closure."

"You tell me how," Nanao said with a yawn.

"Well as Shunsui isn't going to help you out by backing off completely, I'm thinking sex would do the trick," Rangiku said thoughtfully.

Nanao snorted. "Is that how you solve everything?"

"No hear me out! It'd be like the final nail in the relationship right? Moving on. You've never been with anyone besides Shunsui. It'd probably be good for you, and it doesn't have to be Shuuhei. If that's not working for you there are plenty of shinigami in the afterlife."

"Shuuhei is working just fine," Nanao said with a laugh. "So I'm not crazy in love with him. I'm fond of him and that's a start. It isn't like I fell in love with Shunsui overnight. Just give me time."

There was silence for a few minutes and then Rangiku said quietly. "Just don't get yourself killed trying to forget."

"What?" Nanao asked sleepily.

"I get the training, I do," Rangiku said. "I've been there. Where you wonder if you'll ever feel like really living again. But if you could not get in death matches with Kenpachi I'd appreciate it. I'm worried about you."

"Oh Ran," Nanao sighed rolling over and slinging her arm around the other woman's waist. She remembered feeling the same about Rangiku after Gin's death. Only she'd been more afraid the woman would drink herself to death. Shunsui had helped her collect Matsumoto off a bar floor on a particularly bad night and tend to her when she was released from the 4th the next morning. Nanao had spent most of that morning fighting down tears and had worried when her Taicho had decided to talk to Rangiku privately. She had no idea what he'd said to her, but you knew it was bad when Kyouraku was performing the intervention. Whatever it was it had worked. Rangiku hadn't stopped getting drunk, but she'd at least kept it in human quantities and it'd started to taper off over time. Yes, she new the fear of losing a friend to themselves. "I'll be ok. I promise. Fighting Kenpachi had nothing to do with my love life. Thank kami."

There were a few more minutes of silence and then Rangiku spoke up one last time. "I still say sex would help."

"I'll take it under advisement," Nanao said with a laugh. "Now let me sleep."

* * *

**A/N: I know, I know, I'm late :( Hopefully you haven't all abandoned me for my tardiness. I got some writing done on a long plane flight I just had though so that's good. I swear I'm not giving up and pushing through the writer's block. Hope all the Americans out there had a wonderful Thanksgiving!**


	29. Old Wounds and New Ones

It'd been a week and a half since her head injury and Nanao was glad the dizzy spells and headaches had passed for the most part. She'd continued to go to the 4th for treatment and hadn't heard a word of complaint from the Higurashi if they were even aware of the fact that she was getting medical help. The news of her fight with Kenpachi had traveled and been blown magnificently out of proportion. In one respect it was nice to finally be getting a touch more differential treatment when with the yakuza family, but she could already hear the rumblings of people deciding who'd be the first to challenge her again. The problem with getting in fights was that it only led to bigger ones eventually. She had been getting far less resistance though when joining some of the family's patrols and had even managed to attend and help with some of the classes they gave their younger members.

Her other training was going well enough too, which was a nice change. Soi Fon had actually stopped glaring at her constantly, and Nanao was pretty sure that was a big compliment. It probably also helped that Nanao was now not only beginning to match some of her practice partners but outmaneuver them. Kuchiki was the same as ever, but she'd even managed to get him to crack a slight upward lift of the lips due to a joke once. The 11th had decided that she was the new greatest thing since sliced bread and just constantly tried to get her to go drinking with them. She honestly would have contemplated accepting if it weren't for the fact that every night out drinking with the 11th turned into a brawl.

The training with Hisagi had been going well too, although maybe not so much in the sword fighting sense. The few practice sessions they'd had had quickly devolved from some halfhearted sparing with practice swords to more hand to hand training. Who was she kidding? All they ended up doing was making out in the practice rooms. It was a good thing he'd been her sword fighting teacher, and she'd always considered that just a fall back in any given situation, otherwise she might be more upset about missing out on the lessons. Besides as long as she was unable to practice her shaki with him they wouldn't be able to get very far in the training anyway. In fact, the kissing was a very reasonable way to distract him from the little detail that she wasn't willing to go much further with her zanpaktou. At least that was how she liked to look at it, instead of just her acting like a hormonal teenager who'd been deprived of human touch for weeks.

"Taicho?" a voice called as a knock thumped on the door they were currently pressed up against.

Hisagi gave her a distressed look as he pulled away from their current lip lock and called, "Yes?"

"Do you need the practice room much longer?" the man called. "There were some division members that were requesting to get in early."

"We'll be done in a few," Hisagi called. "Is that alright?"

"Yes, sir," the man called and they heard the footsteps move away.

"You could have allowed them to get in earlier than that," Nanao said rolling her eyes. "It's not like we're going to be productive anymore."

"I find this highly productive," he said with a grin, pressing in close to her and continuing to kiss down the shoulder he'd bared earlier in the "training".

"You're abusing your place of power," Nanao chastised lightly bringing her hands up to his hair and shrugging her shoulder to let the top of her uniform drop further and give him more access.

"Perks of the position," he said with a laugh running his hand back up under her top.

She wrapped a leg around his to pull him closer and snorted. "I highly doubt this is one of the perks the Soutaicho officially conferred," she said with a soft groan as he nipped at her jaw line.

"I should hope not," Hisagi said grinning up at her. "You'd be a very tired woman if you had to do this with all of the Taichos."

"Shut up," she said leaning in and initiating another kiss. His free hand moved from her arm to the leg she had propped up around him and started pushing the pant leg up to reach more skin. Nanao didn't stop him.

A few more minutes passed with their current explorations, and then they heard the sound of approaching feet and separated quickly trying to make themselves presentable. Nanao tugged her uniform back into place and grinned while Hisagi glanced around for his Taicho's haori. She'd yanked it off of his arms early on. He pulled it on right as there was another knock at the door.

"Taicho?"

"Come on in. We just finished," Hisagi yelled easily. The squad members came trooping in and greeted them both cheerfully. They exited quickly and wandered down the hall together. "Want to come back to the office and help me with the paperwork?"

"I thought you said you'd already finished all your paperwork for the day?" she asked quirking an eyebrow at him.

"I have," he agreed with a pleasant smile.

"I have to go out to the Rukongai," she said with a small laugh. "I do still have a job."

"Want to get dinner tonight?" he asked accepting her excuse.

"Can't," she said with a shake of her head. "I promised Shin-san I'd have dinner with his family."

"Tomorrow night then?" he asked. "As much as I do enjoy what we've been doing, I'd really love to actually take you out more often."

"Alright," she said with a shrug. She really did like Hisagi. Most of all she really liked the physical contact with him, but she couldn't say she loved all their outings together. Hisagi knew everyone everywhere and was too polite and nice to turn anyone away. It was like dating half the Rukongai when they went out in public. It was more social than she sometimes had the energy to muster.

"Hisagi Taicho," the cheerful voice of his third seat called out. "Ambassador Ise."

"Nice to see you Taki-san," Nanao greeted still thrown by her official title.

"What's up, Taki-san?" Hisagi asked with a smile.

"Me and some of the other division members were hoping you could judge an impromptu shunpo trial," she said earnestly. "We're just about to start."

"Of course," Hisagi agreed easily. "I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, later," she said waving him off as she turned towards the exit. "Enjoy."

His squad members descended on him instantly and Nanao slipped into the bright afternoon light. She stretched her arms over her head and yawned as she strolled towards the Rukongai. She planned on joining a patrol of the Higurashi's outer border and was then going to try to get in on a meeting of some of their higher ups that planned the Higurashi's operations.

The first part of her plan succeeded brilliantly, but the second half, like always, was turning out to be a total bust so far. Nanao leaned against the wall and watched as some of the Higurashi members glared at her and entered a room without the slightest invitation. Her brother had shot her an apologetic look, but hadn't made any move to help.

"Shinigami-chan," Kei's voice called happily.

"Kei-san," she greeted.

"I knew we were tight on money, but I highly doubt we can't afford to get a statue or something here and make it so you no longer have to decorate the hallway," he said with a grin.

"You know I'm hoping to be allowed to attend a portion of the meeting," Nanao said rolling her eyes. "I really think the Gotei 13 may be able to offer your organization some valuable resources in any problem solving you may have. I haven't come near the kumicho since the first day I arrived here."

"Well, luv, at least your horseback riding is improving," he said. "Can't win 'em all."

"Thanks," she said sarcastically.

"Tell you what," Kei said glancing at the waiting door. "We have a meeting with a rival Yakuza family tomorrow. It might look impressive if we had a pretty faced shinigami in our pocket, so I could put in a good word and see if you could come along."

"I'm not in your pocket," Nanao said with disgust.

"Come on sweetheart," he said with a chuckle. "You think another yakuza is going to believe you're an honest to kami welcomed ambassador? It'd at least get you in the field with us, and the Kumicho will be attending the summit. Your pride going to stop you from doing something worthwhile here?"

"If you can get me in, I'm in," Nanao said. He thumped her on the arm hard enough to make her stumble a half step and whistled as he entered the meeting.

Nanao waited a few hours distracting herself by practicing with some delicate kido to pass the time, and stood up as they started to exit. Mamoru shot her a glare and continued on down the hall before she could stop him. She frowned and started to follow before a hand on her arm pulled her up short.

"You're in," Kei said grinning at her. She nodded and glanced back down the hall at the retreating back of her brother. "See you tomorrow at nine sharp."

"Great," she said, "thanks, Kei-san." She trailed after her brother, but couldn't squeeze an answer out of him on what had upset him. Even through the course of dinner she couldn't annoy it out of him although he did at least cheer up and participate in the conversation. She went home full and happy and went to bed early so that she'd be good to go even after an early morning training session with the 11th.

At nine the next morning she joined a large group of Higurashi and horses gathering in the courtyard. Nanao was given a horse and mounted up only to spend another half hour waiting as everyone organized themselves. Kei waved happily to her and she gave him a brief wave back. Her brother hovered at Kei's side and gave her a tense nod when he noticed her. She watched him curiously as he carefully surveyed the area and kept a constant eye on the going ons, only pausing to call out the occasional command.

Everything seemed to finally be in place and at the very last moment the Kumicho and his entourage swept out of a nearby building. They all mounted up quickly and the assembly formed up easily moving out of the yard. Everyone seemed to know where they should be and it took Nanao a little while to find a space that seemed like it was still part of the group, but wasn't getting her nasty glares from everyone around her.

The ride out was mainly uneventful for the first twenty minutes, but as they started across a large open field the horses started to get nervous and Nanao felt her senses kick up into high alert. There were hollows coming. Mamoru apparently felt the same thing as he halted the group and swords started to get pulled from sheaths. Nanao slid off her horse figuring she was more accustomed to fighting on her feet anyway.

A shriek rang out and a winged hollow hit the ground a few meters out from them. It shrieked again and the horses around her started to spook. Nanao sighed internally and wondered if she was supposed to let the yakuza keep their pride by not interfering. It really wasn't much of a threat. One good kido spells and she'd have the hollow destroyed before it could even get near their party. She glanced at Mamoru for guidance and realized he had dismounted as well and was looking at something on the ground while ignoring the hollow altogether.

"Hollow bait," he growled up to Kei.

"Playing dirty, are they?" Kei asked scanning the area.

More hollows were gathering and Nanao could feel the tension in the air increase. It'd be enough to draw a shinigami patrol. Eventually.

"What are they doing?" a nervous yakuza asked on the wild-eyed horse next to her. "They're just standing there."

Whatever unknown signal the hollows were operating on must have triggered right at the end of the man's sentence though as they all rushed forth in unison. No time to worry about the yakuza pride now. Nanao blasted off a shot of kido and didn't waste time standing around and watching the hollow disintegrate. None of the hollows seemed to be that high level, but there did seem to be an endless supply. Whenever she mowed down a line of them another wave reared up to take their place.

"Fall back," she yelled at a yakuza as he clumsily warded off another hollow talon. She wrenched him behind her and slammed her zanpaktou into the hollows forehead shattering it's mask. "Your injured, fall back," she repeated sternly not looking to see if her order was heeded as she launched into another furious kido attack. A tentacle lashed out at her and she severed it in two with her blade twisting to avoid the jaws of another hollow. That particular hollow got a shot of red fire in its mouth for its trouble.

There's too many, Kage hissed in her mind.

I'm aware, she said sending a pressurized kido at a gigantic bulbous hollow that took it to the chest and ended up slamming back and getting impaled on a tree that surrounded the field.

"Kage, distort," she growled.

Power rushed through her and she took instant stock of her surroundings. One hundred and twenty eight hollows, more on their way. Thirty of them went up in flames as she sent kidos to explode inside of them. She focused on twenty more and they combusted as she shunpo stepped out of the way of another slashing hollow.

You're using too much energy, Kage said calmly.

"You have a better plan?" Nanao hissed out loud as she dodged a jet of fire one hollow breathed out. Nanao whipped her blade blindly through the air warping the space at the same time so that the sword bit cleanly through the throat of the creature even with the meter long distance between them.

Had you ever practiced, yes, Kage replied coldly.

"Little late for that," Nanao argued rolling forward to slice a hollow open from below as it lunged. "Be useful or shut up."

You could be severing arteries with merely a thought, Kage said. You could level them all at a whim. Slice me through the air in front of you and slit all of their throats not just one. You have it in you.

No time to learn now, she thought angrily as she tried to make her way to where the Kumicho would be. It stood to reason that her brother was fighting to protect the Kumicho so he would be in the same general direction. She blasted another hollow, and slowly started to gather energy for another major hit while beginning to feel the strain of using so much power so fast. Nanao tripped over something and went down hard on her hands and knees. She sat up quickly, glancing down only momentarily to see that she'd tripped over the lifeless form of the Kumicho. Panic welled up inside of her as she cracked another hollow's mask in half and searched wildly for her brother. She found him with her eyes fighting with a knot of yakuza that had formed up around Kei. It was only then that she realized that no one had moved towards the Kumicho at all. In the instant of the attack they'd all fled to surround Kei. It was Kei's side that her brother always stayed close to. Kei's direction that he always seemed to take.

Another hollow charged her and she rolled to the left catching it's feet up with a simple binding kido and finishing the job with a fast blow to the back of its head. She started to move forward to join the main group and get to her brother's side when her extended senses let her evaluate the situation all too fast. The hollow bearing down on Mamoru was going to win. He was distracted with another fight, protecting Kei's right side and wasn't going to turn in time. She couldn't send a kido at it as it'd have to burn straight through the center of the group. No shunpo was going to make it in time either. She was going to lose him.

"No," she whispered, unable to force enough air past her lungs to turn the whisper into a scream, and then she let loose. It didn't matter what the kido spell was, she just tracked all the hollows in range and let it rage. Like temper tantrums she'd had as a small child power cracked out of her, only unlike when she was a child it had Kage to focus it. She felt the power pull on her last reservoirs and didn't hold back. Nanao watched the line of hollows go up like a wall of flame and smoke as they disintegrated from the inside out before she hit the ground hard with her knees again and then blacked out.

It only lasted a moment and she could hear the sound of running feet as she came to, a rock sticking uncomfortably into her side. She groaned and pushed herself up on her arms trying to focus on where she'd seen her brother last.

"Don't get up," Mamoru commanded tightly reaching her side. "You might hurt something worse."

"I'm alright," she croaked pulling herself even more fully upright but feeling woozy as she did. "Are you?"

"I'm fine," he said putting a restraining hand on her shoulder. "What the hell just happened?"

"Hollow attack?" she offered weakly.

"Nao-chan, what did you do?" he asked meeting her eyes. She glanced away so that she didn't have to lie to his face.

"Nothing," she said. "Is it over?"

"Yes," another voice answered. "I wouldn't say much survived that. We have the few stragglers handled."

"Kei-san," she greeted coldly. "Or should I say Kumicho?"

"Finally figured it out did you?" he asked with an icy chuckle. "Don't feel too bad Shinigami-chan. The double wasn't just for you. No reason anyone we don't trust should know."

"Going to threaten me with my life now that I know?" she asked squarely getting to her feet despite her brother's protests.

"And ruin all my fun, luv? Hardly," he said with a shrug. "We have places to be." That said he went to join the men trying to round up the frightened horses that had made it to the other side of the open field and apparently felt safe to stop in and among the trees.

"Are you going to be ok?" Mamoru asked.

"Shouldn't you be running after your Kumicho?" she asked bitterly.

"Nanao, don't get pissed off at me," he said sharply. "I didn't ask you to intrude on the Higurashi. I told you it wouldn't be easy. That they wouldn't trust you."

"Don't you mean we?" she demanded. "We wouldn't trust you."

"My loyalties are not exclusively to you," he said firmly and unapologetically. "I never said they were. Just as yours do not belong exclusively to me. You weren't the only one who was alone, Nanao, the only one who needed a family. Can you keep up or do you need to go home? I'm sure a shinigami patrol will be along shortly. You could go back with them."

The last thing she wanted was to be caught out by a shinigami unit after that much power had exploded in one place. No, better to make like a rukongai brat and get scarce quickly. "I'm perfectly fine. I'm in this." Then she brushed passed him, stepped over a dead yakuza and moved towards the horses.

"Nanao," her brother started matching her stride. "All arguments aside. What did you just do?"

"I believe I fainted," she said rolling her eyes.

"Before that," he said crossly.

"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," she said primly.

"Nanao," he warned.

"You've got your secrets brother dear," she said sharply. "I suppose I have mine as well." Then she picked up her stride and ignored his presence. The group of remaining yakuza parted for her respectfully as she approached and she blocked it out as she heard their whispers.

"Need a leg up?" Kei asked grinning as she reclaimed her horse.

She shunpo jumped into the saddle and gave him her best cold fukutaicho face. "I think I'll be alright."

"Mount up, you lot," her brother called snapping the nervous yakuza back into gear. They were riding out in a few minutes with some of the now extra horses being led behind.

"There a reason you didn't want to wait for the shinigami team to show up?" Kei asked, suddenly next to her.

"To tell them what? That they'd missed the action?" she said. "I didn't see much of a point."

"You've been holding back Shinigami-chan," he said lightly.

"I've been taking shunpo lessons," she said deliberately misunderstanding him. "It only figures that I would get better over time, and it isn't that hard to mount up."

"I'm hardly impressed by your ability to get in a saddle," Kei said with a snort.

"Then what exactly?" she asked stonily, daring him to say it out loud.

"I'm not sure what you did sweetheart," he said with a quick grin, "But I guarantee you I will find out." Then he gave his horse a small kick and trotted up the line of horses.

Despite the threat, Nanao couldn't bring herself to regret what she'd done. There was a high probability her brother would be dead now if she hadn't moved when she did. She felt the headache coming on that she always associated with using too much power. Being prevented from training much with her zanpakto generally left her feeling walloped when she had to do any serious damage with it. She'd slept for two days after a particularly deadly fight that had seen her Taicho injured while trying to defend a completely unprepared set of troops before her and Ukitake-san could get there. When she'd woken up she'd found herself wrapped up in Kyouraku's arms in one of the 4th division's beds. She'd instantly shoved him out of it, waking him up when he hit the floor, and blushed a furious shade of scarlet. The nurses had been made aware she'd regained consciousness when they heard her yelling at him for being inappropriate. He'd just smiled stupidly through the whole thing and excused his action by saying the chair was uncomfortable and how else was he supposed to wait for his sweet Nanao-chan to wake up.

Nanao shook the thoughts away and focused on the matter at hand as they entered the gates of the other yakuza's family compound and dismounted. Hostile looks were being passed all around, but it didn't cover the initial looks of disappointment from what she could only assume was the fact that any of them had survived at all. She affected her usual cold emotionless face and kept her eyes trained ahead.

An enormous man sat on a plush chair set out on the porch of the central building they were approaching. She could only assume he was the Kumicho by the numerous people who filled out the porch and the ground below it posed to wait on his every desire and guard him

"Ah, the Higurashi finally come," the man rumbled in a deep velvety voice that Nanao immediately disliked though she could not place why it raised such a deep revulsion in her. "Where is your ever changing Kumicho?" the man asked hinting that while the Higurashi did not disclose Kei's identity it had been noted that they could let a Kumicho die off with little recourse within their ranks or structure.

"There was an unfortunate hollow attack," Mamoru announced having taken over the position of command. "It seems our Kumicho will have to be replaced once more."

"Perhaps this time with you, Mamoru-kun?" the man asked with a dark smile and his head cocked to the side. Nanao had to work hard to keep anger from flashing across her face. The threat was an obvious one, and a blatant declaration that the man had decided Mamoru was the true source of power behind the Higurashi. Nanao realized quickly that this must have happened before. The Kumicho goes down and Mamoru steps up to guide in the interim. Kei was letting everyone think they'd figured out the Higurashi's secret leader, because in the end her brother was expendable too. She'd have hated him and the whole of the Higurashi irrevocably in that moment if she had not also realized that her brother was not an idiot. Mamoru knew he was being offered up as sacrifice every time he stepped forward. The choice was his. Just as it had always been hers every time she'd moved to block a blow from hitting Kyouraku be it with blade or flesh.

"I would never deem myself worthy," Mamoru said simply.

"Nonsense," the opposing Kumicho said waving Mamoru's words away. "You'd make a fine Kumicho for the Higurashi, if only based on your ability to stay alive which all your former Kumicho seem to lack."

"We have territory boundaries to discuss," Mamoru said flatly ignoring the insult.

"No," the man said with a laugh, "We don't. Myself and your Kumicho, whoever that may be, have territory boundaries to discuss. As there is no Kumicho, I have nothing to say. Beyond that, when have we conducted out private affairs under watchful shinigami eyes?" His pointed look settled on her and she raised one eyebrow in a sharp look of disapproval.

"I am the shinigami ambassador to the Rukongai," Nanao said bowing only enough as to be considered just barely polite. "I've come to witness proceedings and get a feel for the districts, not to interfere." She paused for a moment and then couldn't help adding her own threat if only to get this man's mind away from her brother. "Although the rest of the shinigami may not be so complacent when they hear my report that hollow bait has been used in your districts. That's a very serious offence after all. But no need to worry. We will find the culprit for you."

The Kumicho's face flushed in anger for a moment and then he composed himself. "Of course. We'd be very grateful for any help the shinigami can offer." Then he looked her over more thoroughly and paused before his face lit with recognition. "It can't be."

She stiffened under the appraising eyes and Mamoru snapped, "Are we going to get on with this or not?"

"Hold on, Mamoru-kun, I haven't seen your baby sister since she was such a little thing. Sneaking about the manor and spying on things she ought not to see." His words were like a punch to the gut as she realized where she'd heard his voice before, in her adoptive father's home long before she knew what Tanaka was.

She'd been avoiding her sewing lessons by wandering the halls in one of the off limit sections of the manor when she'd heard a girl crying out. She'd followed the noise thinking one of the maids had gotten hurt and hurried into the room the noise was emanating from without thinking. There she'd seen this man, although a good deal skinnier, naked and holding a woman down on the bed her skirts ripped and her face smeared with tears and blood from where she'd been hit. She remembered that voice now turning to her and asking her if she'd come to play too. Nanao had turned and fled back to her room. Tanaka had eventually sought her out and explained that the woman was a traitor who'd tried to kill the man while he'd slept and that he'd only been practicing self-defense. Then he'd grounded her to her room for a week for going into the off limits portion of the manor. It was an unnecessary punishment though. Nothing on earth could have convinced her to willingly go back to that wing unless maybe her brother was dying in it. She'd seen the man a few times again on their grounds, but had managed to stay clear.

Mamoru moved to block her from the Kumicho's line of sight, but she stepped forward instead. "You've gotten fat," she said in the most bored tone she could maintain.

"And you've gotten all grown up," he said looking her up and down. "Still want to play?"

"Anytime," she said sneering at the surprised look her response produced on his face. "I think you'll find me more of a challenge then a helpless woman from the lower districts, and my father is no longer around to collar me for you. Not since I killed him."

"You'll find I'm more than I seem," he said coolly.

"As will you," she countered. "Shall we surprise each other then?"

He lumbered to his feet and she felt the reiatsu rise. "Do you know who you are threatening?"

"A rapist and a coward," Nanao snarled. His guards drew their swords and despite not being on the best terms with the Higurashi she felt the survivors behind her answer in kind.

"Nanao," her brother said sharply. "We're in no place to start a war. Stand down."

"You aren't my commander," she said simply.

"You are in yakuza territory as a guest, shinigami," he said forcefully. "If you do not stand down we will make you."

She turned her furious gaze on her brother and for a moment didn't care what he had to say. His hand moved to his sword hilt and it brought everything back into focus. If she started this here and if they did nothing to try to stop her, she'd be declaring war on the Higurashi's behalf without their consent. Beyond that what remained of them was too weak to overcome the force around them.

"My apologies, Mamoru-san," she said giving him a slight bow and backing off. "My apologies to the Kumicho as well."

"Will you discuss the territories or not, Nobu Kumicho?" Mamoru asked in a strained tone as he turned back to the man.

"I will not discuss it with anyone other than your Kumicho," the man said never letting his eyes leave Nanao.

"Then we no longer have business here," Mamoru said simply. "We will return for talks when our new Kumicho is promoted."

"And the girl? Will she be coming too?"

"I've seen more than enough of you," Nanao said distastefully. Then she turned on her heel and marched back to their waiting horses, she was in her saddle before they two families could finish their stiff formal goodbyes.

Your desires are my desires, Kage whispered silently in his non-existent shadow voice.

The Higurashi men mounted up and Nanao waited patiently. They were through the gate and down the road when she released her zanpaktou silently and moved a tiny barley even there electrical kido spell through space. It was a delicate piece of work and it took all the energy she had left to create and move, but really it wasn't much at all. Just enough to stop a heart.

* * *

**A/N: So for a little there I thought everyone really had stopped reading. Then I realized had just stopped sending me email alerts. So I clicked on the reviews tab of my story and found out people still are reading. Yay!**

**So the only sucky part is I'm not sure how to reply to reviews now, so I'm going to answer some here. Kiyoko is about 4 1/2 months along. As for when Nanao is getting back with Shunsui, well you know me, slow and steady pacing all the way, ha. Glad everyone seems to like Hisagi well enough. He's a decent sort. Also as for the Nanao/Matsumoto Grey's Anatomy reference. I've honestly only ever seen like the first episode of that show so I'm not qualified to comment, but I hope that is a good thing :) As to why Nanao and Rangiku are often friends in fanfics. I think it probably has to do with the fact that Rangiku is so much like Shunsui. It stands to reason if Nanao likes Shunsui's craziness in her life she'd be compatible with Rangiku as well. Plus Rangiku probably has a streak of Shunsui in her wanting to shake the introverted person up. At least, that's how I've always seen it. They're both a good influence on the other in different ways.**

**Ok, and now ends the longest author's note ever. Please leave a review! They are much appreciated and I will search them out regardless of whether they come into my inbox or not!**


	30. Moving On

**A/N: I'm doing it at the top as I've obviously got good news and bad news. Bad news is I've been gone for a year, which was unintentional. Good news, or at least I hope its good news, is I didn't stop writing and have now finished this story with about 130 more pages from where I stopped posting. Now I just have to go back through edit things and post. Sorry about the long delay for anyone who is still reading! It's been a long year and writing has only happened sporadically. Anyway, I hope there are still a few people out there who will read and enjoy! Also I might recommend re-reading at least the last chapter if its been so long you have no idea what's happening anymore :(**

* * *

"Nanao?"

"Hmm?" she asked trying to focus on conversation. She was out at a bar with Abari, Matsumoto, Hisagi and Izuru, but she really hadn't been there all night. They'd started talking about some interdivision fighting match and she'd quickly tuned out. She didn't even know half the names they were throwing about and frankly she was lost in her own memories.

"Do you want another drink?" Rangiku repeated exasperated.

Nanao glanced down at her still full drink and shook her head no. Rangiku went on with their order for the waitress and Nanao felt a squeeze around her shoulders where Hisagi had planted his arm for the evening.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Tired from training is all," she said doing her best to force a smile and ignore the fact that the first things she'd wanted to say was, I killed a man today.

"Well, we'll just have to take it easy next time," he said with a grin.

"I don't think it's your training that's wearing me out," she said rolling her eyes. What little sword fighting they did during training certainly hadn't helped her much. Not that that could be totally blamed on him distracting her. She wasn't willing to work with her zanpaktou around him so there was very little he could physically do other than fight with practice swords.

He faked a look of deep insult and said, "Well then I suppose I'll just have to be more aggressive." She gave him a weak smile for the insinuation and he kissed her forehead before deciding the problem had been solved and turning back to the conversation. Nanao stifled a quiet sigh and went back to her own thoughts.

Rangiku tried to draw her in to the debate a few more times, but luckily Nanao was always saved by Hisagi giving his opinion first and then looking at her hopeful that she would agree. She found it much easier to do so than to actually keep track of the inconsequential discussion happening around her. Nanao felt jumpy and uneasy and she'd spent a good portion of her time simply focusing on keeping her reiatsu stable and her mind calm. She really didn't want one of Rangiku's well-intentioned investigations into what was wrong with her. Those were almost worse that when Kyouraku tried to get things out of her because there was no distracting Rangiku.

She waited till the next round of drinks before excusing herself to the bathroom and pressing through the crush of people. She got checked hard by one woman trying to shove through the crowd to get to her friends and ended up crashing hip first into a table. "I'm sorry," Nanao said absentmindedly bowing her head before recognizing the occupants. "Kyouraku Taicho, Ukitake-san."

"Alright, Nanao-san?" Jyuushiro asked appraising her quickly.

"Just fine," she said trying to force a smile and saw his eyebrow lift in question. "Just a bit crowded isn't it?" she covered.

"Yes," Jyuushiro said looking out over the moving bodies. "Here with friends?"

Nanao nodded and glanced at Kyouraku who'd simply watched the interaction passively and looked like he was inexplicably on his first cup of sake from the full bottle sitting in front of him. Of course, it could be a new bottle, which was much more likely. "How are the two of you?"

"Doing fine," Jyuushiro said simply and then nudged Kyouraku with his elbow.

"You were never any good at small talk," Kyouraku said simply and downed his cup. "Don't force yourself."

"Shunsui," Jyuushiro chastised lightly.

"Whatever answers you're looking for," Kyouraku said meeting her eyes. "You won't find it in the bottom of a cup, in a bar, pretending it never happened. I should know." Then he got up and brushed passed her, stopping just before leaving completely. "No matter what, I'm sure you did what you thought was right." Then he let himself be swallowed into the crowd.

"How does he do that?" she muttered. "I didn't say anything."

"It's pretty obvious something is wrong, Nanao-san," Jyuushiro said simply, refilling the cup Shunsui had abandoned for her and motioning for her to fill the now vacated seat. Having never really needed to go to the bathroom in the first place she accepted his silent offer. "Don't mind him. He just gets frustrated when he sees you upset and isn't allowed to help."

"He saw me for all of fifteen seconds," Nanao said irritated that the man could still read her so easily.

"You think he didn't feel you go off in the Rukongai earlier today?" Jyuushiro offered with a shrug.

"He did?" she asked surprised. It was stupid of her not to have thought of it before, but of course he'd kept track of her. She still did it to him unconsciously too. They'd monitored each other's reiatsus for years. It wasn't a habit you just dropped.

Jyuushiro hummed his affirmative and leaned back. "We were in the middle of a research operation and he nearly ripped a book apart forcing himself to sit still. Had it lasted any longer I don't think he'd have been able to stop himself from going to you."

"I killed a man today," Nanao blurted out and she wondered again at the utter lack of guilt she felt for having done it. Worried for repercussions on the Higurashi, yes, upset that she'd acted rashly, a bit, but guilty, not particularly. Regardless of what Nobu was, wasn't it just as wrong that she'd enjoyed doing it? That question had her emotions more tangled than anything else.

"As Shunsui said, I'm sure you did what you thought was right," Jyuushiro said with a shrug taking a drink.

"I don't feel bad about it in the least," Nanao said. "Have you ever felt that way?" She wasn't even sure if she was asking for redemption or condemnation.

"I'm not Kenpachi," Jyuushiro said, "but I'm not what Tosen claimed to be either. I have caused deaths I have not mourned."

"But have you enjoy any of them?" Nanao asked unabashedly. Let him know exactly what she was. Someone should denounce her.

"One or two, for personal reasons, yes," he answered to her surprise. "I think I'd very much have enjoyed killing your father too if you'd not beaten us all to it."

There was silence for a little while only broken by the background noises of the busy bar. "Why do the two of you always forgive me everything?" she asked finally.

"Because chances are we've done the same at some point or worse," he said honestly. "We've lived many more years than you, Nanao-san. Dealt in shades of grey for longer than you've even known there were any. No one is perfect. We're given only our own human limitations and forced to make due. You do see it don't you? What he wanted to protect you from all these years?"

"He never could," she said feeling the old anger bubble up hot and thick all over again not having to ask who he was.

"No, but he had to try," Jyuushiro said simply. "He had to do the best he could within his own limitations. He's a killer and he was trying to make it so a little girl didn't have to be. He just picked the wrong little girl, was working with incorrect information. Perhaps he could have done better if he'd known you'd already lost so much. Could have mended things he didn't realize needed mending."

"I couldn't tell him about my childhood," she defended.

"You did the best you could within your own limitations too," Jyuushiro agreed nodding.

"If I find more like the man I encountered today, I'm going to kill them as well," she declared having nothing to say to his last comment.

"Let us know if you need any help," Jyuushiro said with a shrug. "But be careful to toe the line. Losing yourself happens when you aren't looking." Then he got up, patted the top of her head affectionately, and exited the bar. She'd have broken the hand of any other man who dared to do so.

Nanao sat there for a few minutes staring at her empty cup and then gave a short laugh when she discovered there really were no answers at the bottom of it for her. She wondered how often Shunsui had sat staring into his alcohol after killing someone. True there hadn't been too many during her time as fukutaicho, but the Gotei 13 had been a much rougher place when it was first being formed. She'd never really believed the two men that walked within the Soutaicho's shadow had been spared killing people, but Jyuushiro never talked about it and Shunsui was always too busy trying to make everyone around him happier to share such sad memories. At least not with her anyway. He'd protected her even from himself.

"Nanao, there you are," Hisagi called catching her attention as he waded through the crowd towards her. "Are you ok? I thought you were going to the bathroom."

"Slight dizzy spell," she lied to explain why she was sitting at an empty booth and giving him a weak smile. "Must be left over from the concussion."

"Do you want me to take you home?" he asked with a frown.

"Yes," she said, suddenly anxious for another person's company. One who didn't see all her faults and cracks so easily.

"Alright, no problem, let's tell the others we're leaving." They did so and exited the bar to a chorus of whistles and catcalls.

"Sorry Abari is an idiot," Hisagi said when they reached her door after a mostly silent shunpo.

She just laughed and brushed it off, "It wasn't even a very clever innuendo. Don't worry about it."

He smiled and said, "Well, no one's ever accused Abari of being clever." He kissed her and said goodnight as he pulled away.

"Aren't you going to come in for some tea?" she asked.

"Are you inviting me?"

"Yes, that was the question," she said smirking slightly.

"I love tea," he said grinning as he slipped passed her when she opened the door.

"Just to be clear this does not mean you are getting lucky," she said as she locked the door. Although she certainly didn't intend to spend a totally chaste night sipping tea with him either. She wanted someone to help her stop thinking for a while, and she knew he'd be willing enough.

"Never even crossed my mind," he said winking at her over his shoulder as he slipped his shoes off.

Boo gave an aggravated meow and she moved to greet him and get him his dinner. "I'll bring the tea out," she called from the kitchen. She smiled softly to herself when he actually did as he was told and waited for her in the living room. Shunsui never seemed to have the willpower, always coming in to touch and tease and generally make a ten minute task last an hour. She was out shortly and noticed that he hadn't touched anything in her absence besides taking a seat on her couch. Another first.

He took his cup and had a testing sip before flashing her a smile. "This is really good." She took the cup out of his grip and initiated the kiss herself, losing herself in his hands and lips. "Best tea ever," he murmured against her skin.

* * *

"Are you ok?" Jyuushiro asked as he reached the roof of his friend's division.

"Is she ok?" Shunsui asked in turn.

"She killed someone," Jyuushiro offered. "She didn't give much more detail than that other than she'd do it again. Tried to offend me by implying she enjoyed it."

Shunsui grunted and didn't move from his lounging position. It would look like he was stargazing if he hadn't tipped his hat down over his eyes. "Did you tell Hisagi?"

"Why would I?" Jyuushiro asked curiously taking a seat next to him.

"The boy obviously had no idea anything was wrong. He should know what to look out for to help her. She gets nightmares sometimes," Shunsui explained.

"Are you going to groom him to be her perfect boyfriend and protector?" Jyuushiro asked. "Because even I'm going to have to say I don't think that's altogether healthy."

"I'm not doing anything besides stepping aside," Shunsui grumbled. "It was just a comment."

"When is Kiyoko-san coming back from her family's in Apulia?" Jyuushiro asked changing the subject.

"Two more weeks," Shunsui said in a dead tone.

"You haven't been drinking as much lately," Jyuushiro commented finally after weeks of wanting to say it.

"Yeah, well Yama-jii's going to assign me a fukutaicho if I fall behind," Shunsui answered the unspoken question.

"And that would be a bad thing?"

"If Nanao-chan ever wants to come back there is going to be a place open for her."

"You can't keep punishing yourself you know," Jyuushiro sighed.

"No one else seems to be willing to," Shunsui said.

"I'd say Nanao-san not taking you back has been punishment enough," Jyuushiro offered.

"If I let myself, I'll just keep drinking myself into a haze for the rest of my days to forget this screw up," Shunsui answered finally sitting up and shoving his hat back in irritation. "What child wants a complete drunkard as a father? But if I let it start, I won't be able to stop it. I won't want to."

"Whatever you think is best," Jyuushiro said glancing up at the night sky.

"Do you think the kid will like me?" Shunsui asked out of the blue.

"Of course," Jyuushiro said with a true laugh. "Children always adore you Shun. Why would you even ask?"

"It hasn't mattered before if they liked me or not," Shunsui said honestly. "What if the kid is like Nanao's cat, and just hates me for no reason? Or better yet what if it hates me for good reason? What if it can't stand me because I can barely tolerate its mother?"

"I don't think its fair to compare a baby to an overprotective cat," Jyuushiro said. "I know you won't listen to me, but there's nothing you can do until the baby is born and then you can only do your best."

"Easy for you to say, you'll only be fun Uncle Jyuu," Shunsui snorted.

"I fully intend on getting the little one hyper on candy right before I give it back to you whenever I baby-sit."

"Mean."

"Getting even for years of detention," Jyuushiro said with a laugh.

"I'm going to be an hour late picking the kid up so it pukes on you," Shunsui declared.

"Great, can't wait," Jyuushiro said shaking his head.

"Yeah, it might be kind of ok," Shunsui said with a small smile at the thought.

"It will be," Jyuushiro affirmed. If nothing else he had no fears that Shunsui would love the child. Regardless of the situation Shunsui wouldn't be able to help himself. He'd always loved children. Often gotten along much better with them than with adults, and while Jyuushiro had known Shunsui was being honest when he'd said he'd wait for Nanao's timing during their relationship he'd also known Shunsui would have been delighted with an accident. This just wasn't the accident he'd been expecting.

"Think it'll be a boy or a girl?" Shunsui asked suddenly.

"Which do you want?" Jyuushiro returned smiling. He was more than pleased to have Shunsui focused on happier things.

"I suppose I should want a boy, but I think I'd prefer a girl," Shunsui said thoughtfully as if it had only now crossed his mind. "I'd paint her entire room pink."

"And having a boy would stop you from doing that?" Jyuushiro snorted.

"Probably not," Shunsui said grinning. "If only to see my father's face when he sees the room. Remember when I dressed up like a girl in the academy to try and sneak into the girl's locker room and he came for a surprise visit? It was worth getting my allowance cut off for three months just for the look of horror on his face."

"You made an awful girl," Jyuushiro commented laughing at the memory. "You got two steps in before they all started screaming and throwing things at you."

"Best two steps of my life," Shunsui said grinning. "And Yama-jii's face was pretty good too when they took me in to him for punishment. He was so disturbed he just shook his head and told me to get the hell out of his office. I didn't even get reprimanded."

"Like I said, hideous looking girl," Jyuushiro added.

"Hey, we can't all be mistaken for the opposite sex so readily," Shunsui said. "You wouldn't know as you don't have that problem."

"Shut up," Jyuushiro grumbled blushing. Shunsui was referring to a time when he'd come to visit the Ukitakes unexpectedly one summer. Jyuushiro had been babysitting his little sisters and they'd decided they wanted to play dress up which mainly consisted of dressing him up like a girl. He'd figured there was no harm in it since they weren't going anywhere and had been thoroughly horrified when Shunsui showed up. He'd had to do Shunsui's homework for a month when they got back to school to keep him from telling anyone. The main problem was he'd been pretty passable as a girl, and Shunsui had never let him forget it.

Shunsui laughed and it was good to hear. "How is Yuki-chan-chan? I keep forgetting to ask about her and the new little one."

"They're doing well," Jyuushiro said smiling. "They asked after you when I went out to visit. Her older two were begging me to bring Uncle Shunsui for a visit."

"Yeah?" Shunsui asked looking pleased. "I'll have to go out soon. Hey, maybe Yuki-chan-chan's kids can have play dates with mine."

"I bet she'd love that, Shun," Jyuushiro said lightly. "Though we're only minor nobles. We tend to get at least a little dirty when we play, think your kid can hold its own?"

"Are you kidding?" Shunsui said puffing up. "My kid is going to roll your nieces and nephews through the dirt. And after she's good and dirty I'm going to take her to visit her grandmother."

Jyuushiro laughed again. "I'm sure your parents will love that. Probably try to get custody at that point."

"Let 'em try," Shunsui said with a dangerous grin. "I hope she falls in love with a Rukongai kid one day too." Then he paused and thought about. "Once she's old enough and has a very long and very chaste relationship."

"Don't tell me you're going to preach chastity."

"Hey, do as I say, not as I do and all that," Shunsui said brushing it off. "I wonder if the kid will have enough reiatsu for the Gotei 13? I don't know if I'd even want them to join."

"I'm sure it'll happen naturally if that's the way its going to be," Jyuushiro placated.

"I'm not going to screw this up," Shunsui declared.

"No, I don't think you will," Jyuushiro said staring up to the stars. "It might even be fun."

"Yeah," Shunsui agreed softly. "It just might be."

* * *

Nanao woke with a start and had a brief moment of panic as she felt the weight around her waist restricting her. She was about to fight it before she realized it was just Hisagi's arm. Settling back down she tried not to move too much and wake him up, although he seemed to be a pretty solid sleeper. Usually the moment she jerked from a nightmare Shunsui was there nuzzling her neck and tickling her side and either making her tell him her dreams or distracting her from them so effectively they ceased to matter. How he always knew which method was better for the situation she'd never know.

She couldn't even remember what had woken her tonight. Nanao glanced at the clock and realized she'd only been asleep for a couple hours. The evening had been passed with some intense petting and kissing and she was somewhat surprised she'd made it through with as much clothing on as she had. Hisagi was nothing if not a gentleman. He'd even offered to leave when it'd become obvious they were both winding down, but Nanao hadn't had the heart to kick him out and honestly enjoyed his company when they were by themselves. Besides it was nice to wake up to a warm body once she'd identified who it was next to her. Nanao sighed and burrowed back into him careful not to jostle him too much. After about an hour of trying to fall back asleep she was finally convinced she was just going to be up for awhile.

Twisting softly she managed to get out from Hisagi's arm without waking him up and Boo bounced down off the end of the bed to follow her into the living room. She dragged her finger along the spines of the many books lining her shelf and paused on the book of love poetry Shunsui had given her. He'd dragged her out of the office and made her listen to him read under the cherry blossom trees. It hadn't made her like love poetry any better, but it was a nice memory all the same. She moved on and picked up a book on identifying different plant species, which was pretty dry and would hopefully get her sleepy again.

She spent the next two hours curled up on her couch reading about different leaf shapes and coloring before she felt her eyes slowly start to close again. Contemplating getting up and making her way back to the bed, Nanao found she was suddenly too tired to even think about moving. It wouldn't be the first night she'd spent on the couch after reading a book until she just couldn't keep herself awake. It was one of the main reasons she kept a blanket thrown over the back of the couch, not that there was any need of one tonight, and with Boo purring and curled up at her side there seemed to be very little reason to move.

"Nanao?" Hisagi's voice came hesitantly.

"Out here," she said trying to rouse herself.

"Trouble sleeping?" he asked.

"A bit," she said blinking and finally moving to take the book off her lap and deposit it on the side table.

"It wasn't something I did, was it?" he asked nervously. "I didn't like kick you or steal the covers?"

Nanao gave a soft laugh and shook her head. "I've always had a touch of insomnia," she explained lightly. "Usually a boring book will do the trick."

"Did Ise Nanao just describe a book as boring?" he teased.

"Um-hmm," she said smiling softly. "And you want to know a big secret?"

"Oh most definitely," he said coming closer to the couch.

"I don't actually do paperwork for fun," she whispered covertly.

"Your secret is safe with me," he said. "Are you planning on staying out here?"

"I was thinking about it," she admitted. "It just suddenly seemed like so much effort to get up and go back into the bedroom."

"Well I'm getting cold," he said frowning slightly, which was an obvious lie as it was a warm summer night. "So you pretty much just have to come back to bed."

She snorted and snuggled into the couch further. "Too bad, I'm the perfect temperature and I don't feel like moving."

"Then I'll just have to carry you," he said and reached down and scooped her up before she could protest. Nanao laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Well now I'm cold and awake again," she grouched halfheartedly.

"I'm sure I can get you warm and wear you out at the same time," he said adjusting her in his hold so that her legs wrapped around his middle and he got a firm hold on her butt.

"You'll just have to do that," she said before kissing his neck and nipping at his bare shoulder.

"Yes, please," he said walking back to her room. She rocked herself against him and smirked as he missed a step. "Do that again," he commanded. Nanao complied with a wicked little grin and found herself more than happy to have her insomnia tonight. He tossed her on the bed and kissed along her collarbone before raising up on one arm to stare down at her. "You swear I didn't steal the covers?"

"I'd have pushed you off the bed and stolen them back," she stated firmly. "Are you generally a cover stealer?"

"It's happened a few times," he admitted with a blush.

"Well, I promise it didn't happen tonight," she said running a hand along his arm. "And frankly right now I couldn't care less about the covers."

"Oh?" he said smirking. "And what are you concerned with right now?"

"I'm mainly wondering what it takes to get you to shut up and kiss me. I mean do I have to flat out say it?" she asked and then thrust up against him, "Or will that do?"

He leaned down and kissed her sliding his hand between her lower back and the bed to keep her firmly pressed beside him. "That'll do," he murmured quickly as he bit down lightly on her ear. "Show me how much you want me to kiss you again," he demanded.

She laughed and obeyed happily. Perhaps everything would be alright after all. Maybe it would even be fun again.

* * *

**2nd A/N: I know I don't deserve them because of my tardiness, but please review all the same so I know it's worth it to keep going with this after I left you all hanging for so long!**


	31. Blackmail

Nanao woke up to her alarm blaring in her ear and groaned before reaching out and smacking the dumb thing off. She felt a kiss on her throat and rolled over to find a smiling Hisagi.

"Morning," he said.

"Morning," she grumbled.

"Well now this is a surprise," he commented running his hand down her side. "Are you not a morning person?"

"What made you think I would be?" she asked tiredly, barely processing the conversation.

"I don't know. Maybe the prim and punctual Ise Nanao I saw at early morning fukutaicho meetings for the past couple decades?"

"Just because I'm professional and do my job well doesn't mean I like getting up early any more than I like paperwork," she said rolling her eyes. Her desire to sleep in had been a weakness Shunsui had tried to exploit at every given opportunity. She'd actually had to threaten to stay at her own place once if he continued to mess with her alarm.

"Come on," Hisagi said sitting up and throwing his legs over the side of the bed. "I'll make coffee if you have it."

"I think I only have some caffeinated tea," she said blinking unenthusiastically and forcing herself to sit up.

"Then that's what I'll make," he said before getting up and planting a kiss on her head.

"You're in an awfully good mood," she growled feeling more miserable as his positive mood practically bounced around the room.

"I did just spend the night with a beautiful woman," he said with a smile. "What's there to be down about?"

"We didn't even have sex," Nanao pointed out trying to knock him down a peg.

"Foreplay is fun too," he said winking at her. "Regretting not?"

She threw her pillow at him with a laugh and reluctantly got out of the bed. "Go make that tea." He stole another kiss and walked out humming. Well, that would be something to adjust to. Her mornings with Shunsui had mainly consisted of him trying to convince her to stay in bed and then him promptly passing back out when she refused and went about getting ready for the day.

Nanao slipped into the bathroom and brushed her teeth before switching into some loose pants and a tank top that she'd taken to wearing when training with the 11th. Her hair was in need of a cut and she'd switched to a ponytail for the early morning runs. All of it combined had earned her a few woof whistles the first day she'd shown up that way, but they'd all learned well and good what lines couldn't be crossed. It'd helped that when Kenpachi had shown up for one of the early morning training sessions he'd actually greeted her and spent the first portion of the run pacing her and discussing some battle strategy he'd witnessed back in the Rukongai. The less pleasant part had been when Yachiru had decided she wanted a piggy back from Nanao for the second half of the run. It'd been a good workout, but Nanao had thought she was going to drop dead by the end of it.

"Are you aware of exactly how early it is?" Hisagi asked as he came back into the room with a tea mug in hand.

"Training with the 11th," she explained with a laugh.

"Ugh, what a way to start the day," he said.

"It's not that bad," Nanao said with a shrug. "Once you get to know them they don't seem nearly so thick headed."

"And then out to the Rukongai?"

"Nope, training with the second in hand to hand, then out to the Rukongai," she said sipping the tea. It was too hot and she blew across the top of it.

"Any chance you're coming for some sword practice today?" he asked hopefully.

Nanao snorted and reached down to pet Boo as he wound his way between her legs. "I think we both know we wouldn't get any sword practice in."

"We could if you really wanted to," he said with a grin. "We still haven't worked with your shikai."

"I've got a full day in the Rukongai," she excused herself quickly. "Maybe next week."

"But you are coming out with us all tonight, right?" he asked. He didn't have to say who us was, as it didn't really matter. Hisagi, much like Matsumoto, traveled in large packs. He was in more demand even then Kyouraku had ever been. While Shunsui was a social butterfly, part of it had always been an act. He'd been perfectly content to stay home alone and read, or paint, or just think. While Kyouraku made appearances at everything it wasn't often that he stayed out the whole time, preferring to end the night either with Jyuushiro or her. Even before her, he'd liked to go home with one woman and the quiet, or if in a particular mood get drunk with strangers who wouldn't be nosey about his personal life as long as he kept buying the drinks. Hisagi, on the other hand, knew everyone and seemed to be good friends with most of them. He was always catching up with someone on their lives and in exchange sharing his own updates. Nanao had been waiting for the stream of friends to stop, or repeat, or at least form up into one solid inner circle over the past few weeks and hadn't seen any sign of it. Besides the regular company of Abari, Matsumoto, and Izura, Hisagi seemed to glide between social groups with ease. He'd stay out in the company of large groups all night long if given the choice. He thrived on being with other people. The only nights they went home before a closing time was when Nanao just couldn't take it any longer. Often she'd beg off and go home alone as she just simply didn't have the endurance for so many all nighters, which always resulted in an exhausting back and forth of trying to convince him it was indeed ok for him to stay out without her.

"Yeah, I have a shunpo lesson with Kuchiki Taicho, but then I'll stop by," she said. "Do you know where you all are going?"

"One of the regular places I'm sure," he said. "I'll make sure not to lock down on my reiatsu too hard. Should be easy to find."

"Sure," she agreed and couldn't bring herself to admit that she still occasionally had problems picking his out amidst a group of pulsing reiatsus. It'd been a long time since she'd had to learn a new signature. The only reiatsus she'd searched for over the past few decades had been Rangiku's, Jyuushiro's, and Shunsui's, and those she knew as well as she knew her own. Hopefully Rangiku would be with Hisagi tonight and she could cheat a little if she had problems finding him. "You can stay here if you don't need to be in the office yet," she offered awkwardly as she headed for the door.

"Eh, I'll just stop by my place and then get an early start on the paperwork," he said. "Want me to walk you to the 11th?"

"Want me to get beat up?" she returned with a laugh. "Because having a guy walk me to training will definitely set them off."

"Fine, big tough Ise-san can get there all by herself," he said happily. "I'll see you tonight."

"See you then," she replied with a smile as he pulled on his shoes and then kissed her goodbye. The rest of the morning was uneventful. Training went off without a hitch, and Soi Fon had decided to move her into some of their more advanced sessions, which pleased her. Not that Soi Fon had ever admitted that she was getting better, but at least the constant glares had eased up a little and Nanao thought that was probably the best she could hope for from the strict woman. For once things were looking up.

Nanao found herself hurrying to make it to the Rukongai on time later that day. She'd been invited to sit in on a class for some of the younger members of the Higurashi family and she was anxious to observe the similarities and differences between their teaching methods and the Academy's.

"Shinigami-chan," a voice called out as she hustled through the main gates. Groaning internally she turned to face him. "What? No good morning?"

"I'm not sure I know how to properly address you now," Nanao said nastily. She wasn't in the mood for Kei's power struggle today.

"Kei-san as always is fine," he answered casually, but there was no question in his tone that there would be stiff repercussions were she to start broadcasting he was the kumicho. "I need to speak with you."

"I believe you are speaking to me," she said coldly, using one of the lines Kyouraku used to use on her when he wanted to push her buttons. "Look I'm supposed to observe a class. I have to be going."

"There will be another class," Kei said and she could tell that that was the end of the discussion if she still wanted to be welcomed on the Higurashi's territory.

"Lead the way," she said keeping her tone carefully neutral. She followed him through the grounds into the main building and back into what appeared to be his office. He called for a maid to bring tea and then knelt across from her, motioning for her to do the same.

"I had an interesting piece of news this morning," Kei said nonchalantly. He waited for her to prompt him and she instead hung on to the silence. "Nobu Kumicho died yesterday not long after we left. In fact, many people think the Higurashi engineered it. They just can't seem to figure out how we got his heart to stop. There wasn't any chance to slip him a poison."

"What a terrible coincidence," Nanao said blandly being careful not to display any emotions on her face. The maid entered and set down the tea as Kei watched her for a long while in silence. "Did you just bring me here to hear the latest gossip?" she asked as the maid swept from the room again.

"I brought you here to find out how you did it," he said tranquilly.

"Did what?" she asked.

"How'd you kill Nobu, Ise?" he asked and there was no joking in his question.

"I didn't," she lied simply. "You said yourself, his heart stopped. You can't honestly think I have the power to stop men's hearts."

"Not at all," he said. "That wouldn't begin to explain what you pulled off in the field yesterday." Nanao sat silently and fought the worried voice in the back of her head that said she'd pushed her luck too far. Kei was far from an idiot. "You see I just can't manage to figure out how you got the kido to kill those hollows through our group without killing any of us, and don't say it was a few lucky shots because I don't think you'd risk having an unlucky shot hitting your brother. It didn't go over, around, or under, so how'd you hit your mark every single time?"

"I've always been talented at kido," she said noncommittally.

"Downright magical with it," he agreed sipping his tea. "Unfortunately I don't believe in magic, and I don't think a practical girl like you does either."

"Heat of the moment, I really couldn't tell you play by play what I did," she said casually picking up her own tea. "I saw an opening and I took it. I don't understand what you're so upset about. It saved your life didn't it?"

He laughed outright at that. "I am well aware that my life was only a default save as a result of being right next to Mamoru-kun. Don't think for a minute I'd believe you'd gone out of your way for me."

"I'm here to be an ambassador. To help in whatever way I can. Letting the Higurashi Kumicho get killed would not be in my best interests," she said.

"No, but I don't think you'd break any laws to save me, sweetheart," he said with a vicious smile and those too intelligent eyes.

"What are you implying?" she asked coldly.

"That you must have used a spatial displacement spell to get those kido shots where they needed to go, which I wasn't even aware was possible in that amount of time" he said simply. "And from what I know of shinigami laws those are highly illegal. You see I made sure to do my research on shinigami when you came. You don't let a potential enemy into your home without knowing all of their weaknesses and strengths."

"I'm not an enemy," she repeated for what felt like the 100th time as her mind quickly raced over all her options.

"No, I don't believe you are, but I had no guarantee of that beyond your brother's word," Kei said simply, "and his word means slightly less when it comes to you."

"Is there a point to this conversation besides you accusing me of being a murderer and a criminal?" she asked getting quickly fed up.

"I'm curious," he said, "What would happen if the shinigami knew you had broken their laws?"

"As I'm sure you already know, there would be a ruling and punishment," she said unabashedly. "Which there won't be because I did nothing of the sort."At least she could be grateful that he didn't seem to have attached the power to her zanpaktou. They might only lock her up for a while and put heavy reiatsu restrictions on her if they thought she'd done an illegal spell, but to have it be her main source of power would be utterly unacceptable. The choice would then be to let the Central 46 control her and use her power secretly as they pleased or an instant sentence to the Maggot's Nest. Nanao wasn't fond of either option.

"That might be interesting to see, how their legal system works," Kei said flippantly. "Shall I tell them and watch the proceedings?"

"Tell them whatever you want," Nanao said frostily. "I haven't done anything wrong."

"It would be difficult to prove," he acknowledged nodding. "I'm not even sure Mamoru-kun would back me up were I to pursue this course of action, which is a troubling thought in itself. It had crossed my mind to test it and find out if he would."

"Mamoru would do the right thing," Nanao said evenly. "He'd tell the truth. Nothing less and nothing more."

"Yes, I believe you're right," Kei said nodding. "Only I'm quite sure his truth would be that it all happened so fast he wasn't sure what happened."

"A carefully neutral ground, and also the truth," Nanao agreed.

"Would the shinigami even take the word of a yakuza over one of their own?"

"It's possible," Nanao said with a shrug. "I am after all a kido master and it would stand to reason that I would have the power and the knowledge to pull off the spell you are accusing me of performing, but with my track record you'd be hard put to prove it."

"It would plant the seeds of doubt though, wouldn't it? Make your next misstep more egregious," he said picking up his tea again.

"Are you threatening me?" she asked evenly. "Is this what this is all about? Making up some way to blackmail me?" She set her cup down and stood up gracefully. "Do what you like, Kei-san. But until you can prove I had anything to do with that spell or that man's death you'll only make yourself look like an idiot and damage relations further with the Gotei 13."

"So sure of that?" he asked raising an eyebrow.  
"Studious, administrative, Ise Nanao doesn't have it in her," she said plainly. "Just ask around. Everyone would agree."

"Except for that Taicho of yours I would think," he said smiling nastily. "I'll bet he knows exactly what you're capable of."

Nanao laughed outright at that. "You honestly think Kyouraku Taicho would do anything to cause me harm?"

"I've heard it wasn't an amicable breakup," Kei noted.

"This time you didn't do your homework very well. That man would die to protect me," Nanao said confidently. "So I wouldn't waste my breath if I were you."

"And would you return the favor for him?" Kei asked watching her closely.

"Try something, and find out," she threatened feeling her hackles rise. It was one thing for him to try to bully her. If he went after Kyouraku in any way she would tear him apart, kumicho or no.

"He cheated on you," Kei pointed out.

"I'm perfectly aware," she growled.

"And still you'd defend him?"

"Till my last breath," she said honestly. "You don't know anything about us."

"You show your weaknesses too easily child," he stated with pity in his tone.

"Go after my weakness and you'll discover my strength," she replied evenly.

"Yes," he said, "I believe that is true. I want you with us."

"With you?" she asked suspiciously. If this had all been some ploy to get her to quit the Gotei 13 then he wasn't as smart as he thought he was.

"Yes," he said motioning for her to resume her seat across from him. "There is a meeting of representatives from several yakuza families from different territories in Apulia this coming week. We leave in four days."

"And why do you want me there?"

"Again, the appearance of having a shinigami under our thumb would look impressive," he said lightly and smiled as she glared at him. "Beyond that Apulia is a bit different in that many of their Yakuza actually are from their noble ruling class and have no respect for anyone who isn't."

"I'm not a noble," she said pointing out the obvious.

"No, but as they do not have their own shinigami like system in Apulia they are often under the mistaken impression that shinigami are the higher end of the ruling class in the Seireitei and Rukongai and are at least worth acknowledging. I am willing to play off of that belief."

"And what's in it for me except standing there and looking noble?" she asked lightly.

"During these meetings tensions always run high. There are often assassination attempts."

"And you think I can look out for you better than your own men?" she asked not believing it for a second.

"No, nor do I think you would," he said honestly. "But I am not kumicho, and as a replacement has not been chosen Mamoru-kun will serve as the Higurashi's representative. I believe your brother's safety will make the trip worthwhile for you."

"Four days?" she asked.

"I knew you would be agreeable," he said with a smile.

"I'll talk to the Soutaicho about it," she said offhandedly, although she already knew she'd simply say it was important and he would approve her to go. So far her reports hadn't been very helpful to the Gotei 13 beyond explaining some daily life interactions in the Rukongai and getting a better handle on what yakuza families ran which territories. A meeting like this one might actually offer some valuable information.

"Wonderful," he said lightly. "Although while we're there I would be careful about illegal kido spells if I were you."

"As I don't and won't use any, there isn't much to worry about," she said icily.

"Good," Kei said. "Then my watching you won't be a problem."

"Beyond it being creepy and bordering on harassment?" she asked sarcastically. "No, not at all."

Kei laughed and had she been in any way friendly with him she'd have probably enjoyed the sound. It was a deep healthy laugh that reminded her of Kyouraku's if she was perfectly honest with herself. "I wish I'd known what you'd turn into all those years ago when the two of you showed up on my doorstep," he said finally. "I'd have kept the set and taken Tanaka down myself if I had to. It'd have been worth the hassle, if I'd only known."

"You were the one my brother asked to help hide me?" she asked quietly. She'd known the Higurashi had made it possible, but she'd never attributed the action to Kei directly. She'd always assumed a lower member of the family had deigned to help them.

"He snuck in past all the guards and put on quite a show," Kei said looking off into a memory and smiling slightly. "He was an impressive kid, although you could tell he was terrified out of his mind. Once he got out that he had a sister and the name Tanaka I didn't need much more to know why though. I was surprised he'd had the guts to run at all. Tanaka did nasty things to children that tried to escape."

"You knew what Tanaka was and you did nothing?" she asked seriously.

"Everyone out here knew what Tanaka was," he said. "But he was a powerful man. As long as he stayed away from the Higurashi women we remained carefully neutral. It wasn't worth the fight. Just like Nobu."

"It was probably worth it to all those women who suffered at his hands," Nanao seethed ignoring the jab about Nobu. "And all those defenseless children."

"Those women and children weren't my business," Kei said peacefully sipping tea. "Still so young yet, shinigami-chan. You can't save everyone. Battles must be chosen. You didn't see Mamoru-kun going directly after Tanaka after all that either did you? He'd done what was important, made his baby sister safe. Your lofty ideals might tell you that all life is precious, but when push comes to shove, there's only a few people in the world you're really going to give two shits about saving. It's human nature, sweetheart. You save the ones you love."

"And who do you love?" she asked cynically.

"Myself, and the Higurashi family," he said staring her down. "And that's it, shinigami-chan. Mamoru-kun is our common ground, but if you ever do anything that puts the Higurashi in direct danger again I will end you. Don't ever forget it."

"I won't," she said standing to leave stiffly. "I'll see you in four days."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you all for the encouraging reviews! I'm so glad I didn't get hate you notes :) Trying to edit and post as quickly as I can while still managing life, sorry it's a bit short this time. As always reviews and thoughts are appreciated and sometimes even spur me into adding things I wouldn't have thought of otherwise!**


	32. Breakfast

The next night after a long grueling day of training and work Nanao sat at the edge of the bar nursing her drink as the group around her started to sway with their arms around each other and sing again. She sighed and glanced at the clock once more. She was exhausted and wanted to go home, but knew if she did Hisagi would feel bad and come with her thinking he had to. Currently she just didn't have the energy to talk him into the fact that he really could stay and it wouldn't hurt her feelings. She'd left Shunsui out partying several times with no hard feelings. But then again, they'd known each other long enough before dating that it was natural, with Hisagi there wasn't that ease that a long history builds. So not wanting to ruin his fun she was currently sitting at the bar trying to keep herself awake and smiling whenever he looked her way.

"Bored?"

"That obvious?" she asked lightly turning her attention on the giant standing next to her. Kenpachi took the stool beside her and she heard it groan under his weight. She hoped it didn't give out. For some reason she had a feeling he wouldn't handle that embarrassment well and the bar patrons would be fleeing for their drunken lives if it happened.

"The finger tapping gives it away," he said signaling for another drink.

Pausing to look down at her hand she realized she had been tapping away at the bar and quickly wrapped her fingers around the drink to stop it. "I didn't realize I was doing it. Where's Yachiru-san?"

"Left her with babysitters," he said shrugging. "Heard there was a big melee fight brewing down this way, but they all took off when I arrived."

Nanao had to stifle a laugh. Who wouldn't take off when they realized Kenpachi was trying to join in the fun? Beyond that she could just see Yachiru making Ikkaku miserable right this minute and it brought a smile to her face. "Sorry you didn't get your fight."

"You wouldn't want to?" he asked perking up.

"Not tonight," she said smiling. To be honest she never wanted to fight the man again if she could help it. One concussion was more than enough for her and she was still well aware that if the fight had continued she would have eventually lost. "Sorry."

"Another time," he said deflating again. "Yachiru would be mad if she missed it anyway."

Glad the munchkin would enjoy her death so much, Nanao thought sarcastically. She shuddered to think what the little monster would do to the SWA were she ever to die. Nemu was not good about telling the girl no. "Yeah, another day," she said vaguely hoping Kenpachi would forget about wanting to fight her again over time. The group she was with burst into another song, something about wrestling or some other sport, and she sighed. Then a space was cleared and Hisagi and another man started wrestling in the bar to the encouragement of everyone around them

"Looks, like you're going to be here for awhile," Kenpachi observed.

"Yeah," Nanao agreed forlornly. Going out every night of the week was slowly getting to her. She'd managed to meet them the night before and it'd gone on until the wee hours of the morning. She'd ended up spending the night in Rangiku's bed while the men camped out on the floor and had only managed three hours of sleep.

"Yo, Hisagi," Kenpachi bellowed. "Take your woman home and screw her. She's getting bored."

The whole place paused and Nanao wanted to crawl under the bar and die. Perhaps whatever odd semi-friendship she'd set up with the man next to her was a horrible idea. The pause ended and the catcalls started up. Nanao was starting to think she'd liked it better when she was invisible to most people.

"Do you want to head out?" Hisagi asked making it to her side and nearly as red as she must be.

"Nope, fine here," she said with a nervous laugh. "Carry on," she finished with a shooing motion.

"Oh, ok," he said glaring over at some of his more boisterous friends.

"She's lying," Kenpachi offered helpfully. "Unless you really are a bad lay and she really would prefer to stay here."

She was going to give Yachiru so much candy the next time she saw the little girl that Kenpachi wouldn't be able to get her to sleep for a week. "It's really ok," she said glaring at the unconcerned brute next to her. "I was just getting a bit tired. Have fun with your friends."

"If you're tired though," Hisagi said hesitantly, obviously wanting to stay as another wrestling match started up behind them but unsure of how to go about it.

"It's fine, get back in there," she said mustering a smile.

"You're sure?" he asked already starting to move back towards the group.

"Positive," she said and he disappeared back into the roaring crowd.

"The boy likes wrestling men better than screwing his girlfriend?" Kenpachi asked skeptically.

"He's having a good time," Nanao sighed.

"You that bad in bed?" Kenpachi asked.

"What? No!"

"You must be. He didn't even hesitate."

"I haven't had any complaints," she defended glaring.

"That doesn't really mean anything. You could have socked Kyouraku in the balls and he'd have thought it was sexy," Kenpachi said with a snort. "So no shocker there."

"I'll have you know that he would absolutely not think that was sexy," Nanao said firmly. Shunsui had lost his set of keys to her apartment once and thought the most reasonable thing to do was sneak in her open window so as not to wake her. Unfortunately for him he'd had his reiatsu locked down out of habit and when she'd walked into her bedroom from getting a glass of water and seen someone crawling in her window she'd kneed him in the groin on instinct alone. Why her sleepy mind hadn't thought to throw a kido she'd never be able to answer, but she could safely say that Kyouraku did not find getting hit in the balls sexy in any way.

"Tried it?" Kenpachi asked raising his eyebrows at her. "Never took you for a rough and tumble girl in the sack."

"I'm just fine in bed, thank you very much," she said fighting down the blush that wanted to creep up to her cheeks. Only years of practice with inappropriate conversations with Rangiku and her Taicho kept the blush at bay.

"Yet your boyfriend is out there hugging a man," Kenpachi said gesturing to Hisagi and another guy rolling around on the floor.

"This conversation is going nowhere," Nanao said firmly. "Did you have a point?"

"Yeah, if you don't want to be here, use those womanly wiles and get the hell out of here," he said bluntly.

"My womanly wiles are all tapped out," she said with a disbelieving laugh. She wondered where he'd picked up that turn of phrase.

"Usually a girl just has to go up to the guy and say I'm horny, wanna screw?" Kenpachi advised. "If that doesn't do the trick you suck in bed. Or he's into men."

"I'll take that under advisement," Nanao said smiling despite herself. "Bar closes in a half hour anyway."

"Suit yourself," he said finishing off his drink. "I'm out of here. Beauty of never being attached."

"Enjoy yourself," she said slightly envious of him. "Tell Yachiru-chan I say hello."

"Sure," he said nodding.

Nanao waited the next half hour and sighed with relief when they called close. Not that that ended the evening. Their group wandered the streets slowly singing and reliving who'd won the fights of the night. Nanao found herself half asleep on Hisagi's shoulder as they took their sweet time winding their way through the streets.

"Hey, you want me to walk you home?" Hisagi asked as the last person broke off in another direction.

"Ugh, so far," she groaned pathetically. The training and lack of sleep were really catching up to her.

"You could stay with me if you want," he offered. "My apartment is just right up the street."

"Good choice," she said letting herself lean into him heavily and be lead the last few meters.

He got them in the door and moments later pressed her against the wall kissing her throat. How much energy could he possibly still have, she wondered silently. Then again she supposed he was still half drunk which might be what was keeping him going.

"Nanao-san?" he said inquisitively as he ran his hands up inside her shirt.

"Yeah?" she asked, wondering if he'd be offended if she fell asleep while they were fooling around. Rangiku said she'd done it to a guy once, although if she remembered right that guy had never spoken to Ran again.

"Wanna take Kenpachi's advice?" he asked in a low voice his touch traveling lower. His hand reached its destination and she found herself a lot more alert.

"I'm kind of tired," she said honestly although she didn't argue as her pants went sliding down her legs.

"I'll wake you up," he murmured happily moving her shirt up to kiss along her abdomen and kneel down in front of her. Nanao leaned back against the wall and let her eyes close. Who was she to argue when he was being so persuasive? She buried her hands in his hair as his teeth caught the elastic of her underwear.

Nanao was vaguely irritated when something brushed passed her face, she was more than annoyed when she felt Hisagi back off, and she was downright grumpy when she noticed why. A hell butterfly had landed on his shoulder and he had paused to listen. Then he sighed and Nanao had to resist the urge to do the same.

"Some recruits messed up their paperwork," he informed her.

"And the 1st is pissed about it at this time in the morning?" she asked raising an eyebrow. She'd gotten hell butterflies at insane hours of the morning before, but it was never about paperwork. It was either from someone trying to get her to collect her drunk Taicho or because 8th division member's had gotten wildly out of hand. She'd nearly killed the three men who had decided the Soutaicho's garden was a good place to relieve themselves at three in the morning.

"They don't have the right access codes to let them back through the gate, so I have to go identify them," he said standing up.

"Because so many unwanted people try to slip through the gate," Nanao muttered mockingly. "And it isn't like we have record of them leaving for the living world, so of course it couldn't be the same people trying to get back through."

Hisagi smiled and kissed her. "Red tape and paperwork," he said with a shrug. "You know how it is. Feel free to stay here. I'm sure I'll be back shortly."

"Nothing with the 1st is ever short if they are trying to prove the importance of proper paperwork," Nanao sighed.

"I suppose you would know best," he said grinning. "Seriously make yourself at home." Then he slipped his shoes on and headed back out the door leaving a seriously frustrated Nanao. At least before she'd just been sleepy. Now she was horny and sleepy. Great.

Nanao stood awkwardly in his hallway and wasn't sure what to do. She honestly didn't feel comfortable invading his personal space without him here. It felt too much like snooping. Sighing, she slipped her shoes back on and made sure his door locked behind her while mentally prepared herself for the long trek home. At least a nice steady shunpo across the Seireitei might work off some tension. She set a slower pace and enjoyed the feeling of moving through the early morning air. It was moments like this that made her grateful all over again for her reiatsu levels. She couldn't imagine how dull life would be if she'd just ended up wandering the Rukongai for the whole of her after life.

A familiar reiatsu jostled her out of her memories and she slowed down as their paths coincided. Really she should probably be speeding up, but it was second nature to stop for him. Kyouraku ended up on the same rooftop with her a minute later. She paused completely and nodded to him wondering absently how drunk he was at this hour in the morning.

"Out late, Nanao-chan," he commented frowning. He didn't ask what she'd been doing.

"Or early," she answered looking him over. He didn't look wasted. He looked tired. "Are you coming from the 8th?" she asked unable to hide the surprise in her tone.

"Lots of paperwork this time of year," he said with a shrug as they both shunpoed down from the roof and started walking along the streets by some silent mutual consent.

"I'm aware," she said dryly. "That still doesn't explain why you were at the office until now."

"I'm hurt," he said with mock pain in his voice, but he seemed too tired to keep up the act for long. "Somebody has to do it."

"Get a fukutaicho," she said rolling her eyes. Shunsui just shrugged and they walked on in silence for a few minutes.

"How are you doing?" he asked tentatively, obviously afraid she'd snap at him.

"I'm alright," she said vaguely. "Why are you really at the office this late?"

"My mother is at my house," he admitted with a weak grin. "Last place I want to be while I'm awake at least."

"Why is she over?" Nanao asked wincing in sympathy. Even Shunsui didn't deserve that kind of punishment.

"Redecorating," he offered simply. Nanao could only assume his mother was going overboard creating a nursery in his house. She didn't push the topic though as she didn't really want to know.

"How long is she in for?" Nanao asked instead.

"Who knows?" he answered. "I try not to ask and hope she'll just be gone when I get home from the office or Jyuu's."

"A mature way of handling things," she said with a short laugh.

"You've met my mother," he said by way of explanation.

"She's still there now?" Nanao asked and waited a moment while Shunsui searched out his mother's reiatsu.

"Unfortunately," he sighed. "I'm hoping to get a shower and a change of clothes and then go back to the office to sleep before she can really trap me."

"Do you want breakfast?" Nanao offered before she could really think it through. The second the words left her lips she winced. It was stupid of her to do really, but she'd been planning on cooking, as it seemed she'd be getting no sleep anyway, and it'd just seemed natural to offer when he'd obviously been having such a miserable couple of days. She scrambled to cover up the mistake as he shot her a surprised look. "I was going to make breakfast anyway and I hate cooking for just myself," she explained with a shrug, which was true enough. "But I don't want to keep you."

"I'd love breakfast if it's alright," he accepted hesitantly.

"Sure," she said unsure of how to take the offer back and not even confident she wanted to. They'd often eaten meals together long before they were dating and breakfast had been something of a habit when taking care of Kyouraku after late night binges. She'd been missing the easy camaraderie the two of them had maintained long before she ever gave into being with him romantically. "Omelets and rice ok?"

"Better than ok," he said grinning. "I've been missing Nanao-chan's cooking. None of the restaurants around here taste as good as your breakfasts."

"And heaven forbid you learn how to make it yourself," she said exasperatedly. She'd tried to teach him once. They'd ended up having to throw away the pan he'd attempted with. Cooking would never be one of his many talents.

"I'm not suicidal, Nanao-chan," he said with a laugh.

"I've never met anyone else who couldn't even cook rice," she teased.

"Not my fault I never had to learn," he said.

"Such a rich boy," she mocked shaking her head as she unlocked her door. A bundle of fur slammed into her legs and she grinned down at the cat, scooping him up into her arms. Boo took one look at the man standing next to her and started growling.

"Good to see some things never change," he grumbled glaring back at the cat.

Nanao laughed and pushed the door open letting him enter in front of her and hanging on to Boo while he slipped off his shoes. "If you'd just been patient and waited for him to warm up to you, it'd have been fine. It's not Boo's fault that you started world war three with him. Locking him in cabinets and drugging his milk."

"Nanao-chan, I have a foot long scar down the back of my leg where he attacked me when I was just sitting reading the paper," Shunsui said glaring over at the cat. "And you're saying I started it?"

"More than likely," she said smiling and letting the cat out of her arms. The man and the cat stared each other down and Nanao laughed as she slipped passed them and further into the apartment. "I'll have some tea out in a few. Don't hurt my kitty."

"I won't if he won't," Shunsui called after her.

Nanao just snorted and went into her kitchen. A few minutes later Shunsui slipped in behind her and she smiled to herself. The man never could just wait quietly.

"Need any help?"

"I'll let you take over the tea so I can get the rest started," she said moving away to grab a pan. "You can manage that, right?"

"I am a tea master," he declared.

"How is Jyuushiro-san doing after his fit?" Nanao asked after a few minutes of silence. "He seemed better the other night when I ran into the two of you."

"He's much better," Shunsui said smiling. "And your head?"

"Rarely bothers me at all anymore," she answered.

"That's good," Shunsui said lightly removing the now boiling water. "How's your brother?"

"He's alright," Nanao replied working with her ingredients. "He's not real pleased with my further involvement in the yakuza, but I'm not sure what exactly he expected to happen."

"Have things been going well there?" Shunsui asked curiously. He poured the tea and took a seat at her small kitchen table.

"Define well," Nanao said derisively.

"Jyuu said," and then he trailed off.

"That I killed a man?" Nanao supplied, not at all surprised that what she told Ukitake had gotten back to Kyouraku.

"Yes," Shunsui nodded. "Need to talk about it?"

"Not really," Nanao said shrugging. "He was a man my father knew."

Shunsui nodded and didn't ask any further. One commendable thing about Shunsui was he knew well and good when some topics just shouldn't be pushed. Not that that always stopped him from pushing, but he did at least know where the lines were. It was also nice to have a person she knew she could admit she'd killed someone to and they would simply take it for granted that she'd been in the right. Nanao had no intention of letting anyone beside Shunsui and Jyuushiro in on the fact. Even her brother would react badly to it and Hisagi, well they just didn't know each other that well. She had to assume he wouldn't take the news well or at least question why she did it. "This for the 1st?" Shunsui asked holding up the report she'd been working on and had left on the table. She nodded in confirmation and continued focusing on the food. "Do you mind if I take a look?"

"The 1st might, but I don't care," Nanao said simply. She cooked the rest of the breakfast to nothing but the sound of flipping pages.

"The Kumicho was killed?" Shunsui asked finally.

"Uh huh," she confirmed putting the omelets on plates. She'd been debating whether or not to reveal the true identity of the Kumicho in her report and she couldn't decide whether it would help her or hurt her. "Can I ask your advice off the record?" she asked finally.

He looked at her seriously for a moment and then leaned back and smiled. "Nanao-chan there is very little you could tell me on record that I wouldn't keep a secret if you asked me to. So as long as you are not planning on betraying the Gotei 13 or assassinating any of its members, I'd say you're more than welcome to ask away."

"Nothing so drastic," she said returning his smile. At the end of the day she knew he would always try to protect her best interests. It was a nice feeling. "The Kumicho is a cover. Do you remember Kei-san? I think you met him at my brother's birthday party. Dark hair, blue eyes. Loves inappropriate nicknames almost as much as you do."

"Vaguely," Kyouraku said thinking. "I believe I had a short drinking contest with him. Nice guy. Holds his liquor well."

"Wonderful standard to judge people on," Nanao said with a snort. "He's the actual Kumicho."

"Really," Shunsui said and then took a moment to think it over. "I could see that."

"From your drinking contest?" Nanao asked smiling as she slid a full plate over to him and took the seat across from him. "Real leadership qualities on display there?"

"You'd be surprised what you can learn about a person while drinking," Shunsui said grinning over at her. Nanao herself tended to be extremely honest when drunk, and Shunsui had never missed an opportunity to exploit that. It was a big reason Nanao had never gotten drunk anywhere near him before they were dating.

"Do I tell the 1st or not?" she asked as they both started to eat.

"I'm sure you should," Shunsui said lightly and then shrugged. "But on the other hand does it do you any good to do so? Currently what's the use of the information to the 1st? Not much. It could, however, damage your position later if the Higurashi find out you spilled the beans. Then again, if Yama-jii finds out you withheld the information there will be hell to pay. Frankly right now, you've already proven yourself to the Gotei 13, but haven't been able to do the same to the Higurashi. You're going to have to weigh the costs and benefits. In the current situation it may do you more harm than good to share the information. The Higurashi will appreciate that you respected their secrets."

"Did you just advise me to withhold information from the 1st?" she asked smiling.

"Are you going to turn me in?" he asked.

"It's not like the Soutaicho would even really get mad at you," Nanao commented. "Teacher's pet."

"He might," Shunsui defended.

"Well, you don't have to worry about it," Nanao said smiling. "Your secret is safe with me."

"I didn't see anything about a dead man in there," Shunsui said nodding to the report and watching her. "I mean besides the ones the hollows killed."

"Yeah, that's," Nanao started and then paused. "Complicated." It would be impossible to explain without further exposing her zanpaktous abilities, and she still didn't think the Soutaicho would look the other way if Shunsui knew about that and didn't report it. She also knew Shunsui would never report it if she did tell him. "It wasn't part of the mission so I didn't see any reason to include it."

"Nanao-chan," he started and then stopped.

"Yes?" she asked lifting an eyebrow.

"Never mind," he said stiffly.

"Shunsui," she spat out sharply.

"Look, we were having a nice time and I don't want to mess it up," he admitted looking down at his plate and pushing some of his food around.

"What do you have to say?" she asked. "I requested your advice."

"I just was going to ask if there would be any repercussions from the man you killed," he said refusing to look up at her. "I just wanted to make sure you weren't in any danger." Nanao opened her mouth to respond and he cut her off as he continued to talk. "I know you don't want me worrying about you, and I know you can take care of yourself. Look, forget it. Can't teach an old dog new tricks, right? I worry about you and I get overprotective. I know. I'm sorry. Just forget it."

"It's fine," she said softly. "I'll be ok. They can't necessarily prove that it was me who did it."

He lifted his head and gave her a quizzical look. "Care to explain?"

"Not particularly," she said looking down at her own plate.

"But you're safe?" he asked quietly.

"Should be," she answered. "Kei-san thinks he has something on me, but there's no way to prove it."

"He's trying to blackmail you?" Shunsui asked and she saw the look in his eyes she'd seen so many times before when he thought someone was doing her a bad turn. She always pitied the opponents that thought this peaceful man didn't have it in him to win fights. He was more dangerous because they always underestimated him.

"Trying being the key word," she said with a comforting smile. "And he isn't really trying, more like implying that he could at some point if he wanted to. To some extent I understand it. If the murder was traced back to me it would imply the Higurashi were involved. I put his family in danger. It'd be like if he'd done something to put the 8th on the line. I'd have warned him off too. I'm not worried about it."

"If you need help," he offered uncomfortably.

"I'll ask you for it," she confirmed.

"So what are you reading lately?" he asked trying to switch the topic back to more neutral ground.

"Actually that book about the samurai you recommended a while back," she said smiling. "It's pretty good."

"It hasn't been regulated to the insomnia reading pile?" he asked with a laugh.

"Nope," she said happily. The insomnia reading pile was a running joke between them for books that Nanao found dull or uninteresting that she used to help herself fall asleep. "Although that book you recommended about that family with the mysterious past, I can't remember the name, that one got thrown on the pile. How can you read that dribble? It was basically just everyone sleeping with everyone else and then being shocked when they discovered it."

"I think I enjoyed all the raunchy sex," Shunsui offered up laughing. "How can that possibly put you to sleep?"

"Come on," Nanao said grinning. "It wasn't even sexy. It was just crude and descriptions like his burning staff brings to mind horrible diseases instead of enjoyable sex. Plus it just went on forever, and not in the good way. About six pages into the third sex scene I was like just hurry up and finish it."

"Nanao-chan just doesn't have a taste for the finer things in life," he teased.

"Shunsui, that book was almost as bad as your Rose Colored Path," she retorted.

"Hey, that was pure poetry," he defended.

"You're the only person that thinks so," she snorted.

"Well, you know what," he said. "All of your recommendations haven't been hits either."

"That's because you like romantic fluff," she argued.

"Nothing wrong with fluff," he said. "You never did appreciate the fluff." Their age-old argument raged on for a while longer and then spiraled into a hundred different topics like it always did. A couple hours later Nanao found herself laughing until she glanced at the clock.

"Oh shoot," she said getting to her feet and cursing the fact that she hadn't bothered to sleep at all. "I'm going to miss my morning training if I don't leave soon."

She started to gather the dishes and he pushed her hands away. "Go get ready. I'll clean them."

"Thanks," she said absentmindedly shooting off towards her bedroom. A few minutes later she reemerged to Shunsui drying the plates and putting them back in her cabinets. "Are you headed back to the office?"

"Probably need to grab a shower at my place first," he said with a miserable sigh. "But then I was planning on heading back into the 8th and sleeping on the couch to avoid her."

"You can shower here if you want," she offered before she really thought it through. "Just don't torture Boo and lock the door on your way out."

"You're sure you wouldn't mind?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"Shunsui, I've met your mother," she said rolling her eyes and deciding she really was ok with it. "It's not a big deal. Just don't leave your wet towel on the bed or I'll have to kill you."

"I only did that a few times," he defended.

"You did it at least once a week," she argued. "Is your memory going?"

"I have an amazing memory," he said with a huff. "Maybe it's your memory that is shoddy."

"There isn't one person in the whole of Seireitei that would believe my memory is the bad one of the two of us," she said with a confident grin. "Like I said, lock up behind you. I have to go or I'm going to miss it."

"Enjoy," he called after her.

"Nothing I like more than having my ass handed to me in the morning," she answered with a wave as she shot out the door. Halfway to the 11th she was pretty sure she should be feeling strange about leaving her ex-boyfriend in her apartment alone, but it had really been even more odd over the past few months that he was never in her home. Even before they were dating he was a semi-regular presence. It'd been nice to be casual with him again. As long as they avoided talking about their personal lives, everything went swimmingly. Maybe somehow they'd even be able to manage a friendship one day. Although she didn't have any doubts things would change once again when the baby was born. Nanao shook her head as she entered the 11th and tried to refocus on the task at hand.

"Bug Killer!" Yachiru greeted. "What's up with you?"

"What do you mean?" she asked as she swept the charging girl up into her arms.

"She's probably wondering why you're grinning like an idiot," Kenpachi supplied adjusting his sword and glancing at the two of them. "Hisagi finally get down to business?"

She gave him a withering look and let Yachiru scramble down out of her hold. "I am not grinning like an idiot."

"Not anymore," he conceded. "You shouldn't be ashamed of a good screw."

"I think I liked you better when you ignored me," Nanao said with a glare.

"Go back to being a librarian then, Ise," he said with a challenging grin.

Nanao tried to think of a smart reply, but was interrupted by Ikkaku calling for the lower ranks to form up. It didn't matter anyway. She had not been smiling like an idiot and certainly not because of Shunsui.

* * *

**A/N: So I upped the rating to M, not because I have any intention of writing lemons but because the characters obviously do discuss sex and I just don't want to piss anyone off that finds that offensive. Also for nekonotaishou and anyone else who is worried about this veering off from being a Shunsui/Nanao fic, hopefully this chapter alleviated some of your fears. As always please review! It makes my day, and as it is now officially a Monday on the east coast and I have to go back to work (and obviously should be sleeping instead of posting) I need all the little happy moments I can squeak out.**


	33. Family

It'd been a mistake to use her shower. Well, it wasn't really the shower so much as it was the fact that he'd had to use her bath products. Now lying on the couch in his office all he could smell was her and it was slowly driving him mad. He wasn't sure if this was better or worse than enduring his mother. Shunsui flipped over on his stomach and buried his face in the cushions trying to escape the scent.

A tentative knock sounded on the door and he sighed. Turning his head he muttered a tired 'come in' and waited while his 5th seat shuffled around the door. "Your mother stopped by this morning, sir."

"Oh?" he asked raising an eyebrow. "What did she want?"

"She said something about knocking out a wall and whether or not you knew a good painting company," the man offered nervously.

"I'll deal with it later," Shunsui said sighing. "Thank you for telling me."

"Yes, sir," the man said bowing crisply and running back out.

Shunsui buried his face back in the couch and groaned. It was no use. He just couldn't sleep peacefully in the office without the sound of paperwork getting done and the feeling of someone consistently glaring at him. He missed Nanao, and this morning had just solidified the fact. He missed talking to her, and being near her, and hearing her laugh. Maybe if he tried hard not to butt into her personal life she'd let him around more often. He wasn't stupid. He knew she must have been coming home from Hisagi and while the thought made him angry and jealous all at once, it was worth ignoring if she'd only just be slightly normal with him again. More than even their physical relationship, he missed their friendship. Not that he didn't fantasize about the physical aspect a hell of a lot too. If he'd known his last night with Nanao-chan was going to be his last he'd have never have let her sleep. As it was abstinence was tougher than he'd ever imagined it to be, mainly because he hadn't participated in it since he was a boy.

Shunsui sighed and pushed himself up off the couch moving out of the office and deciding to visit one of his old hiding places under the cherry blossoms. He'd go back to the office later and work some through the night. Kami only knew when his mother planned on leaving, and after she did Kiyoko would eventually come back. Shunpoing out into the early afternoon sun, he tried to get his thoughts on other things.

Unfortunately that damn scent kept driving his thoughts back to one place. He scanned the surrounding areas for Nanao's reiatsu briefly as he settled down into his usual napping position and found her headed out of the Seireitei into the Rukongai. He contemplated making his reiatsu presence known to her, sending her a small thank you for breakfast, and then decided it'd be too intrusive and reeled his reiatsu back in without making any contact.

"You're mother is looking for you," a pleasant voice said a few minutes later as he finally started drifting off to sleep with the smell of cherry blossoms drowning out everything else.

"About the wall or the paint?" Shunsui asked lazily, not bothering to open his eyes.

"She was muttering something about windows to me," Jyuushiro said taking a seat next to his friend.

"I'm thinking about moving," Shunsui said simply cracking an eye open.

Jyuushiro laughed and tilted his head back in the sun. "You could always just tell her to go home. Why are you letting her do this anyway?"

"I don't know," Shunsui said shrugging as best he could while lying down. "She came in and started off on baby proofing and it freaked me out so I just let her have at it. I didn't think it would take this long."

"Have you even been home recently?"

"Nope," Shunsui said yawning. "Spending most of my time at the office."

"You're hopeless," Jyuushiro chastised lightly. "When are you ever just going to bury the past and get along with your family?"

"Hey, its not me that makes things difficult," Shunsui defended. "My father is an ass, my mother is crazy, and my brother hates me. It's why I never wanted to have a family in the first place."

"Well maybe this whole situation will make your family life better," Jyuushiro said hopefully. "I have to get back to the office, but let me know if you need a place to sleep. I honestly don't mind."

"You really are the bestest best friend a man could have," Shunsui cooed and Jyuushiro rolled his eyes at him before shunpoing away. Shunsui lay back once more and let his thoughts wander.

He'd been telling the truth when he said he'd never wanted a family. It was Nanao that had changed that, and he'd been more than a little horrified when he'd figured out she had. He wasn't used to picturing a future with a woman, not when so many things could go so horribly wrong. No, the best part of love was the beginning when everything was wonderful and new, not the part where you were getting annoyed by each other's dirty towels or inability to arrive on time. Somehow Nanao had managed to work her way into his life way past the first love phase and still have him head over heels for her. He liked to think it was the same for her. She knew he was flawed and loved him anyway.

He'd never really been exposed to a relationship like that before. All he'd ever witnessed were marriages that were pretty in the public eye and every sort of dysfunctional behind closed doors. He'd grown up around enough cheating, lying, and anger to last him a lifetime. Shunsui distinctly remembered his parents gossiping about all the misdeeds of their noble counterparts after every social event. Hell, he'd walked in on more than a few forbidden liaisons when trying to find abandoned rooms to nap in until the noble parties ended when he was a kid. Shunsui never understood why they all went about it the way they did. If they were going to sleep around and obey their every whim why not be open and honest about it? Why not do what felt right without lying and hurting the people around you? It was a philosophy he always subscribed to and made sure the women that were with him were well aware of. Not that that always sunk in.

His brother's wife, Yuriko, was a perfect example of a woman who just hadn't gotten it. She'd grown up with the two of them being a daughter of a nearby noble family. She'd actually been Shunsui's first kiss when they were little. Not that he'd been happy about it. He'd thought girls were disgusting at the time and had promptly shoved her into a mud puddle.

As they'd gotten to be teenagers, he'd had an about face on the subject of girls and Yuriko had turned into something of a looker. They'd had sex a few times, neither of them being the other's first, and Shunsui had thought it was all well and good. They were both out for a fun time and nothing else. He'd known she was interested in the Kyouraku name and fortune, but he'd made it perfectly clear he had no intentions of marrying. She'd finally walked in on him having sex with one of her maids when his family was visiting her family's country estate and declared she wouldn't be sleeping with him again. It was a loss because she was a pretty thing that knew all sorts of neat tricks, but he'd known he'd find someone to replace her easily enough. What he didn't expect was for her to go after Seichii.

Needless to say when he'd tried to warn his brother off about the fact she was only after the Kyouraku legacy it hadn't gone over well. Seichii had declared that he was jealous that she'd chosen him over Shunsui and Shunsui was just trying sabotage it. Shunsui often wondered if his brother would have been quite so hasty to marry the woman if he'd said nothing at all. He doubted it really would have made much of a difference since Seichii had been desperately in love with her since they were kids. Part of the brother's bad relationship certainly stemmed from when Shunsui had first started sleeping with Yuriko.

It wasn't until a few years after their wedding that Shunsui fully understood how little he'd gotten his point across to Yuriko though. He'd been in the academy by then and had been on a break, which unfortunately meant he'd had to return home for a while. Bored out of his mind and completely fed up with his parents' bickering he'd decided to go out to the lake on the edge of their lands and get a swim in. It'd been rather relaxing until he'd made it back to the shore and found all his clothing missing. Not that he'd minded particularly, but he knew his father would have a conniption if he walked back starkers and he had just not been in the mood to handle it.

"Looking for something?" an overly sweet voice had called from off to his right.

"Yuriko-san," he'd sighed. "Aren't we a little old for this?"

"San?" she'd asked sticking out her bottom lip in a pout. "How polite. Whatever happened to Riko-chan?"

"You married my brother," he'd said with a shrug glancing around to see if she was holding his clothing. No such luck. "It'd be creepy if I called you by a pet name."

"No one is around to hear it," she'd replied with a grin. "Besides if you want your clothing back I'd start doing whatever it is I want."

"I don't need it that badly," he'd said with another shrug. He really had just wanted to get away from everyone, and although it was rare for him not to be up for a game, a week at home had rung the fun right out of him. He'd mentally braced himself for the chewing out he was about to get and started towards home.

"Shunsui-kun, are you seriously walking home naked?" Yuriko had called after him laughing.

"I'll say a yokai stole my clothing," he'd yelled back.

"And why would a yokai want your clothing?" she'd asked happily as he paused and she darted off into the woods.

"Monsters are very fond of the color pink," he'd answered with a grin. She'd emerged from the tree line carrying his bundle of clothes and he'd been more than pleased that he could now just go home and take a nap unmolested, or so he'd thought.

"What'll you give me for them?" she'd asked stopping a few feet away from him and shooting him a flirty grin.

"My thanks?" he'd offered trying to look as standoffish as a naked man could muster.

"Oh, come on, Shu-kun, I'm sure we can think of something more fun than that," she'd said rolling her eyes. "Like perhaps a kiss for each article of clothing?"

"Yuriko-san, are you going to give me the clothes or not? I don't want to stand here all day," he'd said sighing.

"When did you get all stuffy and boring?" she'd asked with a glare. "From the stories we hear from that school of yours you're just as rowdy as ever. I heard you got kicked out of the girls dormitories again just before your break so don't try to pretend you're a moral prude now."

"I never said I was," he'd answered coolly. "But you are not a girl at the academy. You are my brother's wife."

"Oh la," she'd said disdainfully waving a hand at him. "And what does that really mean, but that I have to return to his bed at night? Goodness, Shu-kun you'd think you'd never grown up around nobles. You know as well as I do the only rule is don't get caught red handed. Come on, you and I had good times didn't we? I'd be up for any fun new things you'd learned at school." She'd dropped his clothes on a rock by this point and had been inching closer. Shunsui couldn't deny that she was beautiful, that if she'd been any other girl he'd have grinned right back at her flirtation and taken her on the dirt path beneath them. But she wasn't any other girl.

"I am not sleeping with my brother's wife," Shunsui had stated plainly. "If you wanted to keep screwing around with me you shouldn't have gone after him."

"You said yourself you weren't going to get married," she'd replied rolling her eyes. "And a proper girl needs a proper marriage. Seichii-san was so delightfully easy too. Did you know I was his first? It was adorable, but a girl gets tired of cute. Do you know how many nights I've laid there half satisfied thinking about when you used to have me screaming your name? I almost said your name once in fact. Thank god, they both start with an s."

"You're using him," Shunsui had confirmed although he'd long since known that was the case.

"No more than he's using me," she'd said with a truly charming laugh. "I'm the perfect wife Shunsui-kun. I run the house, I'll bare his children, and I look pretty on his arm. Doesn't mean I have to be content with missionary for the rest of my life. Besides if you accidentally knock me up it's still a Kyouraku."

"Marring my brother was your choice," Shunsui had answered taking a step back as he realized how close she had gotten.

"No, it was yours," she'd replied running a finger down his chest. "You were the one that was so set on being a bachelor."

He'd caught her hand and pulled it away from him. "He's my brother."

"And you've both hated each other since you were kids," she'd answered unconcerned. "Don't even get me started on how many 'perfect Shunsui gets away with everything' rants I've been subjected to. Kami, Shunsui, I just imagine all the perfectly naughty things you must be getting away with in that school and it gets me off. If my family had even considered letting me go, we'd have been running that school together. We were always a perfect fit in that sense."

"I'm sorry things didn't turn out the way you'd hoped," Shunsui had said releasing her hand and stepping away from her again. "And I know Seichii and I will probably never get along. I'm still not going to sleep with his wife behind his back, and if I find you with anyone else I will tell him."

"He won't believe you," she'd said with a satisfied little grin. "Shunsui-kun I could climb on top of you right now and let him find us and it would still be your fault. Isn't that delightful?"

Shunsui had glared at her, but knew there was no denying it. Instead of trying he'd sidestepped her and shunpoed to his forgotten pile of clothes, tugging his pants on with more force than absolutely necessary.

"New trick?" she'd asked from behind him and he could hear the grin in her voice, could almost hear all the devious things she was thinking they could do with his shunpo. The two of them really had been a pair, always goading and teasing the other onto the next forbidden thing.

"I have to get home," he'd said stiffly. "I assume you and Seichii are here for dinner?"

She'd confirmed it with a little humming noise, and he'd felt her hands glide up his recently clad back. He'd straightened and pulled away from them and she'd given a small snort of derision.

"I'll be shunpoing back," he'd said flatly. "Take your time returning. I plan on seeing you for the first time during this break when you return to the house."

"Well, if that's the plan, why not have a little more fun we can forget?" she'd challenged.

"This is the last time I'll say this to you," he'd said spinning on her. "I will not sleep with my brother's wife. It doesn't matter what Seichii and my relationship is. I will not go there. There are plenty of free girls, Yuriko-san, and you are no longer one of them."

She'd just laughed and backed off a few steps. "You aren't one for commitment Shunsui-kun. We'll see how long this one lasts."

He'd not bothered with a reply and had instead taken off for home, pushing his shunpo like they'd been taught in class. He'd need a shower when he arrived with the sweat he was working up, but at least it helped him get off some of the anger and tension. Kami he hated going home more than anything else.

He'd walked into the house a few minutes later in time to bump into Seichii in the hall who sent him a glare and stepped around him like he'd smelled something bad and then walk passed his parents arguing about some expense or another. He'd been about to sneak by them when they both walked into the hall arguing.

"There is no reason a kimono should cost so much," his father had steamed as Shunsui tried to disappear into a wall.

"Well it did, and it looks fabulous, and I'm not taking it back," his mother had said simply. "Hello, Shunsui."

Shunsui had grunted a reply and been more than happy when his father had butted back in again. "You have millions of perfectly good kimonos. Wear one of them and take the expensive one back."

"Tell you what dear," his mother had said in that oddly pleasant tone that always signaled danger. "You apply that reasoning to your whores and I will apply it to my wardrobe."

"You dare," his father had sputtered.

"What do you think you're going to do about it?" his mother had flared back.

"I'm turning gay," Shunsui had announced calmly.

"That's nice, darling," his mother had said shooting him a smile.

"You're what?" his father had demanded losing focus on the other argument.

"I'm only dating men from here on out," Shunsui had added simply.

"You absolutely will not," his father had raged instantly.

"Oh leave him be," his mother had chastised rolling her eyes. "If there's a hole Shunsui'll go for it. He couldn't turn completely gay if he wanted to."

"You will get married to a woman and you will produce heirs," his father had declared.

"I'd really rather be slowly eaten alive by carp while you explained tax laws to me," Shunsui had said firmly. "Off to take a shower."

"Don't be late for dinner," his mother had called as she started the other way down the hall.

"We are not done here," his father had yelled and whether it had been aimed at him or his mother he would never know. For their parts they both had ignored him.

Shunsui sighed at the memory and wondered if life would have turned out better if he really had been able to swear off women. Yuriko had been a consistent problem over the years, but had simply gotten less playful and more hateful as the time passed. Now she'd probably still sleep with him if only to prove some vengeful point, but he doubted there was any true desire there anymore. She hated him for never giving in, and she hated his family for demanding an heir she'd been unable to produce.

He'd taken no pleasure in seeing Yuriko's anger when he'd brought Nanao home as his partner and not just his fukutaicho. She'd never done or said anything to Nanao as far as he knew, he'd always worked hard to keep the two away from each other, but it wasn't like she ever hid her dislike whenever Nanao was around. Luckily Yuriko had become bitter enough at everything around her that Nanao had never taken it personally. He wasn't even sure Nanao had ever noticed how vehemently his sister-in-law despised her. That or Nanao had just ignored it with the defenses she'd raised up to protect herself from all of Shunsui's other jealous conquests. He'd never been lying to the women he was with when he'd said he didn't want marriage, but the way he hounded Nanao for it recently sure made it look like he had been deceiving them over the years. Not all of the women he had known took that very well. You'd think they'd have taken it out on him, but they all seemed to think Nanao was an easier target. At least, most of them had seemed to leave Nanao alone after their breakup. They probably all thought they had been proven right.

Shunsui sighed again and wished he was finding his normal solace in nature. He threw his arm over his eyes and cursed quietly when her scent overcame him again. Kami, all he really wanted to do was find her, ravish her, and convince her that they'd figure it out. He'd dreamed up about a million ways to get her back, but they all fell short of the mark. He'd even briefly contemplated faking his own death to make her see how much she'd regret not being with him if he did actually die, but had then decided that might cross the line somewhere as Jyuushiro would say. So instead he was spending his days sitting in the office like a miserable old man doing paperwork. At least he could be proud of the fact that other than ignoring Hisagi in Taicho meetings he'd been very mature about that whole her dating other people situation. He planned on remaining that way until the kid screwed up and broke her heart. Then he'd slow roast him with kido as a special tribute to Nanao and figure out a way to apologize to Yama-jii about being one Taicho short of 13 after the fact.

Shunsui lumbered to his feet and decided to walk to Jyuushiro's. Maybe an afternoon with his friend would get his mind on better things, and with any luck his mother would be gone soon. He was lucky to have a friend like Jyuushiro who not only always had his back, but also was willing to stay friends with him after meeting his judgmental family. His brother in particular had always hated Ukitake. From the first time he'd brought his friend home with him it'd been a hostile situation. Jyuushiro had done his best to be friends with Seichii, despite Shunsui's constant advice that it was impossible, but it just hadn't worked at all. Seichii liked to alternate between making snide comments about Jyuushiro's ancestry and his illness. Nanao had always maintained that his brother did it out of jealousy, but Shunsui didn't buy it. What was there to be jealous of? Yes, Jyuushiro was more of a brother to him than Seichii was, but Seichii had never wanted that relationship in the first place.

He still remembered the time his brother had banished him from his birthday celebrations and Shunsui had willingly complied. Ended up going out and meeting Jyuushiro in the town over and getting thoroughly wasted. He'd stumbled home early the next morning after waking up at some nameless girls' house. His mother hadn't even let him get in the door before she laid into him for missing the party. Seichii had simply sat in a corner and smirked until Shunsui had revealed he'd been out drinking with Jyuushiro. Then all the humor had gone out of his brother's face and he'd commenced with the lecture on proper family relations. Shunsui had punched him in the face. Probably not the best response, but he'd been hungover and agitated and it was all Seichii's fault in the first place that he'd not been at the party. Not that he'd wanted to attend anyway, but he'd at least thought he'd not get in that much trouble if it was Seichii that had told him to go. After that Seichii had kept his opinions to himself mainly, but that punch had been the end of any kind of tolerable relationship between the two of them for years.

Shunsui sighed as he entered the 13th. Maybe it was best that he'd only ever have one kid as long as he was stuck with Kiyoko. There'd be no possibility of horrible sibling relations. Then again he couldn't even imagine how lonely his life would have been without Jyuushiro, and he knew for a fact that Nanao hadn't enjoyed the years spent without her brother in her life. Either way the baby was going to be an only child, a fact his mother had started to pick up on and was already trying to change. Regardless of what she did, he didn't think he could ever love Kiyoko. Tolerate her, yes, but that was about it.

"Kyouraku Taicho," a voice greeted. He looked up from his feet to notice the male counterpart of his friend's third seats. Shunsui shot him a grin and the man returned the smile jerking his head back to the office building. "He's doing paperwork."

"About time I put a stop to that, don't you think?" Shunsui joked.

"Just like always, sir," Kotsubaki agreed.

Shunsui nodded and walked on thinking about that last comment. Just like always. How could everything have changed so drastically and still be just the same? You'd think at his age he'd be used to it by now.

* * *

**A/N: Ok so the latest chapter of Bleach made all of this story non-cannon compliant, but I'm ok with that. Especially when the chapter was so adorable (probably not the reaction Kubo intended, but hey whatever). As always review, please!**


	34. Birthday Gifts

Nanao struggled through the crowd and wondered if it was even worth being out and about tonight. It had rained for the past two days and the clouds still hung heavy in the sky. Overall it was a pretty dreary Tanabata and an equally dull birthday. She was exhausted from the days of training in the downpour, and her brother had been even more distant with her since he found out she'd be going with them to Apulia tomorrow. She knew he was still upset about the Hollow incident, but it was driving her crazy trying to get back in his good graces without explaining about her shikai. At least things had been better with the main body of the Higurashi. Gossip had been swirling about the hollow attack and Nobu's death and she'd actually been getting friendly greetings and invites to go on patrols and training classes. She'd surprisingly been allowed to help some of the younger recruits who had reiatsu with their kido. Shin-san had even managed to get her invited to one of the family member's houses for dinner the night before and it had been entirely pleasant.

Nanao grimaced as a man knocked into her as he shoved his way through the crowd and wondered if Hisagi and Matsumoto might not notice if she turned around and went home instead of joining them. She'd barely seen either of them in the past couple days besides an SWA meeting where Rangiku had insisted she meet the group out at a bar for Tanabata in the 2nd district. Nanao hated going to the 2nd on this day. It was well known that all the single men and women went to the 2nd to celebrate by getting completely trashed and hooking up. Families and old people stayed in the 1st district to attend the street festivals and watch the fireworks. It'd been tradition since Shunsui had discovered her birthday for the two of them to wander the festival and watch the fireworks out on a knoll in the 1st. Rangiku had often teased her for the old fashioned tradition as she got older, but she and Shunsui enjoyed it, and before they were dating it was one of the rare places where they could both be relaxed and friendly and she didn't have to worry about a bunch of shinigami witnessing it and starting gossip. Being in the 1st on Tanabata was decidedly un-cool and she loved that.

Two drunken girls stumbled passed her clinging to each other and giggling and Nanao rolled her eyes. Everyone got started early. She'd gone by herself to the shrine and wandered the festival for a bit before convincing herself to meet up with Matsumoto and the rest of them. Besides the day hadn't been nearly as pleasant without Shunsui at her side. She was honestly sort of surprised when he hadn't shown up at her apartment that morning. It'd be the first birthday in more than one hundred years they hadn't spent together and the thought made her heart ache. Why she thought he'd show up she couldn't say, but most of her had been convinced that at least for her birthday they could pretend nothing was wrong. Nanao sighed. Maybe getting drunk wasn't such a terrible idea after all.

"Nanao-chan!" Rangiku's voice rang out moments after she entered the bar and started searching for their group. "For a second I thought you weren't going to come. I was about to start a betting pool on whether or not you'd show." The woman was already flushed with alcohol, as were the people around her.

"Hey," Hisagi greeted as she made her way to the table. He kissed her cheek as the man next to him vacated his seat for her to sit next to Hisagi. "Just in time for the pin, pon, pan tournament."

Nanao's struggled to keep a smile on her face. A few drinks she could do, a drinking game she had no interest in. Nor did she particularly like sitting through other people playing them. It was going to be a long night. "I think I'll pass," she said simply.

"Nonsense, you have to play!" Hisagi argued happily. "Everyone is. Right, guys?"

The group cheered and drinks started getting passed around. "I'm really not one for drinking games," Nanao protested again as a drink was pressed into her hands.

"It's fun, give it a try," Hisagi encouraged.

"Oh, leave her alone," Rangiku said waving a hand in her direction. "It's her birthday after all. If she doesn't want to play she doesn't have to."

"It's your birthday?" Hisagi asked looking surprised.

"Yeah, didn't I mention it?" she asked. She honestly didn't care much about her birthday. She'd never made a big deal out of it and the closest she'd come to a party was when her Shunsui, Jyuushiro, and Rangiku would occasionally grab dinner before the fireworks. This year it'd been nice to get a bouquet of flowers from her brother, confirming that they were still ok despite him being cool towards her, but as he was preparing to start traveling the next morning there wasn't much they could do together.

"I didn't know," Hisagi said looking put out. "I would have gotten you something."

"No need," Nanao said shrugging. "It's really not a big deal."

"Nanao-chan never lets us do anything for her birthday," Rangiku said rolling her eyes. "It's the same every year. Her and Shunsui-kun go to that boring festival and watch the fireworks." Matsumoto had definitely had a few Nanao decided, or she'd have never brought up Kyouraku. "You'd think Shunsui of all people would have thought of something more creative over the years. That man knows how to throw a party when he wants to."

"We liked the tradition just fine," Nanao defended crisply. "Not all of us have to have a celebration so large every year that we don't even know half the people wishing us a happy birthday. Shunsui just did what I wanted on my birthday and I like the festival."

"It's such a little kid thing to do," Rangiku argued wrinkling her nose.

"I don't know why it bothers you so much," Nanao said taking a sip of her drink. "It's not like we ever tried to make you come with us."

"Do you want me to take you to the festival and the fireworks?" Hisagi asked looking like he was slightly dreading her answer. She could tell he was well on his way to drunk by how hard it was for him to hide how little he wanted to go.

"No," Nanao said. "I'm fine here. This will be fun for a changeup. I just don't want to play the game."

"No problem," Hisagi said smiling and looking relieved. He threw an arm over the back of her chair easily and said, "birthday girl gets to do whatever she wants. Come on guys, let's all sing her happy birthday." The drunken group eagerly agreed and by the end the whole bar was singing happy birthday to her while she tried to sink further down in her chair. Nanao was more than happy when all the attention faded off of her and went back to the game at hand.

A couple hours into the evening Nanao was getting severely bored. Everyone was pretty gone by this point and it was already getting sloppy. She sipped at the end of her second drink and wondered how best to get out of the rest of the night. Maybe she could even go to the knoll and watch the fireworks by herself. Although if she were being honest she kind of hoped that if Kyouraku felt her reiatsu at the knoll he might join her. She hadn't seen him since breakfast the other day and it had been friendly enough. You'd think they could at least maintain that small glimmer of friendship on her birthday.

"Lets play truth or dare," Rangiku called from across the table gleefully. Nanao sighed, and they made fun of her for being childish. She had absolutely no intention of participating in this game either.

"Dare," Hisagi called instantly from her side. Really, Nanao couldn't figure out why those two hadn't worked out better. They were each other's counter parts in everyway.

"I dare you to flash step between all the tables in the bar and not knock over a single drink," Matsumoto called and the group cheered its consent.

"No problem," Hisagi said cockily climbing up on their table to begin. He gave a dramatic bow and took off eliciting shouts of surprise and anger as he flitted around the bar. You had to give the boy credit for not hitting a single drink in his intoxicated state. He landed back on their table with a flourish and the girl next to Nanao squealed and started clapping hard, subsequently smacking her own drink and sending it flying into Nanao's lap. She jerked up and away from the table, but was already covered in the sticky cocktail. Nanao sighed, why did the drinks always hit her?

"Does that count as me spilling one?" Hisagi asked twisting around to the laughing Matsumoto.

"I vote no," she cheered. "Nanao, you want me to go the bathroom with you and help try to clean that up?"

"No, it's fine," Nanao said seeing her chance. "I'll just run home and change."

"And not come back?" Rangiku asked knowing her only too well.

"I'll come back, but I'm not going to spend the rest of the night in a wet yukuta," Nanao said giving her a glare that clearly said to back off. She had absolutely no intention of returning, but luckily they'd be a few more drinks in by then and would hardly care.

"I call bullshit," Rangiku said giggling.

"She'll come back, won't you Nanao-chan?" Hisagi asked happily. Nanao felt something twist in her stomach and struggled to keep her face neutral. No one called her Nanao-chan except for Shunsui and Rangiku.

"Sure I will," she said nodding. "Keep playing and I'll go get cleaned up." She didn't pause for them to stop her again, simply turned and struggled through the crowd as quickly as she could. The second she was outside she didn't even bother with the street and the drunk crowd meandering through it, instead shunpoing to the roof and moving quickly back to the Seireitei. She was making record time too thanks to all those training sessions with Kuchiki. She couldn't explain even to herself why the pet name had upset her so badly. It was only natural that it would happen eventually when you were in a relationship with someone. She tired to reason that it had just surprised her and she tried to let it go as she touched down at her apartment building's front door and started up the steps. She pulled at the sticky material clinging to her legs and grumbled to herself. This had to be one of the worst birthdays ever.

Entering her hallway and noticed a pink clad figure hovering in front of her door. She watched his back stiffen as he presumably noticed her reiatsu and turned to face her. "Happy birthday, Nanao-chan," Shunsui greeted softly.

"Thanks," she said moving towards him and noticing the package in his arms.

"I was trying to find a place to leave it where you'd see it but the neighbors wouldn't be nosey," he explained sheepishly noticing where her focus had strayed. "Didn't think you'd be in." He glanced up at her again and frowned. "What happened to your yukuta?"

"Clumsy girl spilled her cocktail on me," Nanao said looking down at the stain. It was a pity too, as she really liked this yukata. "Of course it had to be neon orange."

"If you get it in the wash fast enough it might come out," Shunsui offered. "I won't keep you."

"Do you want to come in?" she asked unlocking her door as he started to back off.

"You don't have to offer," he said quietly. "I really just meant to drop off your gift."

"Got somewhere to be?" she asked trying to ignore the small part of her that was hurt by the thought.

"No," he said quickly. "I just didn't mean to intrude. I know you're probably busy."

"If you were intruding, I wouldn't have offered," she said pushing the door open and signaling for him to follow. "Are you going to the fireworks tonight?"

"I didn't particularly want to go alone," he admitted coming in behind her and kicking off his sandals.

"Oh," Nanao said coolly. "Well, I was thinking about going on my own if you'd like to join me."

"If you don't mind," he said and he did a terrible job of hiding how happy he was about it. "I'd love to go."

"It's tradition," she said with a shrug and a smile. "Mind making some tea while I change?"

"Not at all," he said grinning as he put the gift on her couch and slipped off into her kitchen. She smiled and headed to her bedroom pulling the soiled yukata off and running it under some cold water in her sink hoping the cleaners could get the stain out later. Glancing in her closet she picked a darker yukata that wouldn't get grass stains easily and changed into it. Shunsui usually put down his pink haori for them to sit on, but still it'd be foolish to get two stains in one night.

She reentered the living room and curled up on her couch smiling as Boo bounced up to join her. She contemplated opening the gift before he could return, but knew he'd be a big baby about it if he missed her opening it. He loved to see people's faces when they opened his gifts. Nanao was half shocked he could even bring himself to think of leaving it for her in the first place without giving it to her personally.

"Manage the stain?" he asked coming back into the room with two cups.

"As best I could," she said with a shrug. "Not much I can do until I can have the cleaners take a look." She accepted the teacup and instantly set it down. "Can I open it now?"

He chuckled and settled down on the couch next to her ignoring Boo when he hissed. "Maybe we should wait till after the fireworks," he teased.

She glared at him and he merely grinned wider. Nanao sighed and did the one thing she only ever did for him on her birthday. She pouted. "Please?"

"Yare, yare, Nanao-chan, how can I say no to a face like that?" he asked picking the gift up and handing it over to her.

She tore the paper off neatly and looked down at the large book she had in her hands. It was black and heavy with no wording on the cover and she glanced up at Kyouraku curiously. He just smiled calmly back and sipped his tea, looking in that moment more like his best friend then himself. "What is it?"

"It's a book, Nanao-chan. Open it up," he directed with a small grin.

She did so and found it to be a scrapbook of sorts, but mainly rendered by him since there weren't pictures of everything that had happened in her life. The first page had a copy of her acceptance letter to the 8th. She flipped to the next page and found a beautiful drawing of her as a little girl in Yadomaru's lap reading in the office. Nanao touched the page delicately and glanced at the next one finding a sketch of her and Kyouraku's first meeting. The next page held one of the first pieces of paperwork she'd ever done for the 8th, something about ordering ink. Her signature was more childish than it was now, but still clearly hers, firm and readable. The page next to it had a sign up sheet for kido lessons with Yadomaru that had a scattering of names with hers in the middle. Turning quickly to the next page it was a watercolor of her as a child on a training field with kido glowing purple around her hands. The page opposite had a picture taken at an annual Christmas party with many of the squad members. Her child self stood tightly at Yadomaru's side and gazed unsmilingly at the camera. Many of the officers in that photograph had died in the intervening years.

"Oh, Shunsui," she breathed turning the pages a little more quickly and finding the events of her life playing out over them in papers, photographs, paintings, and sketches. There was even a pressed azalea between the pages, one of the first flowers he'd ever given her and several of his horrible attempts at poetry.

"You like it then?" he asked looking at her hopefully when she glanced up. "I wasn't sure if I should still give it to you, but it seemed like such a waste."

"This must have taken you forever," she said softly glancing down at a charcoal drawing of her fukutaicho badge.

"I started it last year," he said with a shrug. "Worked on it when you were in the office. And you always said I did nothing productive." Nanao laughed and he smiled. "You should have seen Yama-jii's face when I told him I needed access to the archives to get that old paperwork copied."

"I'm sure he must have thought you'd gone mad," Nanao agreed looking down at a picture of herself fast asleep on Kyouraku's shoulder when they'd gone camping on an interdivisional retreat years ago. "I thought I burned this?"

"Didn't get the negative, Nanao-chan," he said grinning. "Rangiku-chan made me some copies. I've had one in my desk drawer at home for years."

They passed the next few minutes in silence as Nanao turned the pages. It was really something else. Being from the Rukongai it wasn't often that you got to have so many physical memories of your past in one place. In fact, she was surprised by how many pictures he'd been able to gather and scenes he'd been able to remember and recreate. As she neared the three quarters mark in the book it started in on her most recent life. A picture of her and Mamoru smiling at a Higurashi party, the menu from the restaurant of their first date, a snarling drawing of Boo, a candid shot Matsumoto or Ukitake must have taken of her and Shunsui lying curled up together out under the cherry blossoms last spring. The pages turned blank a few more after that and she looked up at Shunsui in question.

"It's so you can keep adding," he said smiling at her and obviously pleased she'd liked it.

What could she possibly add? She didn't have his creative flair or any sort of drawing talent. She'd just mar the beauty of the book if she went about adding to it. How could he possibly think she'd be able to add to it with the proper level of skill? Then it hit her that it'd never been meant for her to add things too. He'd started the book a year ago. He'd meant it as a continuing present, one that he would have updated for her, because while it'd started as a book of her life by the end it'd become a book of theirs. Kami, how had everything gone so wrong?

"Nanao-chan?" he asked hesitantly sensing her shift in mood instantly and she refused to look up at him. "Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing's wrong," she said and hated that she felt tears burning at her eyes.

"Nanao, if you don't want it I won't be hurt," he said earnestly. "I shouldn't have come here," he said reaching for the book.

She jerked it away from his hands and clutched it to her chest shaking her head. "No, I love it. I'd have been furious if you had done this much work and hadn't given it to me."

He backed off. "Nanao-chan you never would have even known. I didn't mean to upset you, especially not on your birthday. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," she said finally looking up at him and trying to appear calm. "It's the most beautiful gift I've ever been given." Then she promptly burst into tears.

"Nanao-chan," he said his eyes going wide as he panicked. Same old Shunsui. The man could just not deal with women crying. He hesitated for a moment and then tugged her into his arms. She didn't fight it. "Please stop crying," he murmured. "No one should cry on their birthday. I wanted you to be happy."

"I am," she said trying to get her waterworks under control. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm crying. It's really perfect."

"Hey now," he said releasing her just enough to run his thumbs across her cheeks and rub the tears from her face. "When you're happy you smile."

She gave a watery laugh and a weak smile. "Thank you, Shunsui. You've saved an otherwise very subpar birthday."

"And there's still fireworks," he said grinning. "Fireworks make everything better."

She laughed and kissed him quickly. It took her a minute to even register what she'd done. It hadn't been a thought out action. He'd simply made her happy and it'd been an involuntary response. Her eyes widened in surprise as she realized what she'd just done and it must have been her expression that made the mirrored surprise drop from his face.

"It was nothing, Nanao-chan," he said offering her an obviously forced smile. "I'm glad you liked the book."

"I'm sorry," she blurted before she could stop it.

"Don't be," he said brushing her bangs back from her face.

"I just wasn't thinking," she continued.

"I know," he agreed.

"I was just happy," she said trying to sort it out out loud. "I was just saying thank you."

"Nanao," he sighed.

"It didn't mean anything," she stated firmly meeting his eyes.

"I know," he repeated stoically. "It's fine."

"And now I've botched everything," she said sighing as she reached up to touch his cheek and drawing back her hand at the last second. "I'm sorry. I'm not good at any of this."

"Forget it," he said standing up stiffly.

"Taicho," she started, standing to follow him and accidentally reverting to his title like she tended to do whenever she was in a messy situation. It stabilized her.

"Don't," he said turning on her then. "I said it was fine, leave it alone."

"Since when have you ever not wanted to talk things out?" she demanded getting frustrated, at what she wasn't sure.

"Since there was nothing to say," he replied flatly. "Kami, this isn't going to work is it?"

"What?"

"Us pretending we can still be us without being _us_," he said. "Every move we make hurts the other person."

"Shunsui, it was a stupid mistake," she argued feeling a sudden panic well up from somewhere deep inside. "And you didn't do anything to me."

"I had you in tears," he shouted seeming to surprise himself. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath bringing his hand up to cover his eyes.

She stepped up to him and pulled his hand away gently. "You didn't upset me. I don't know why I cried. It wasn't your fault. Your gift was wonderful, Shunsui."

Nanao wasn't sure when he moved or whether or not she'd had a moment to fend him off, but the next thing she new his mouth was hot against hers and it was not the chaste thank you kiss she'd given him a few moments ago. It was anxious and needy and had her clutching at him before she even realized that she'd shoved herself up against him and was matching him movement for movement. She should stop this now, break away from him and hit him with her new birthday present. His hand moved to her hair releasing it from the clip and she groaned as he ran his fingers up her scalp. This was all wrong, and she couldn't for the life of her remember why. Frantic kisses were trailing down her neck leaving her gasping as she ran her nails up his chest. He nipped at her pulse point, a favorite spot of hers, and she gave a small cry pulling his hair and dragging him up for another kiss. Before she knew it they were stumbling backwards and missing her couch by a meter tumbling into a heap on her floor.

"Nanao," Shunsui growled and it was all she could do to keep from mewling her response. "Tell me to stop," he demanded bringing his knee up between her thighs and she arched against him willingly. All he got out of her was a gasp. "If you want me to stop, tell me now." A second later his lips were on hers again and there were no protests to be had as she dragged him closer and proved how very little she wanted this to end.

It didn't take either one of them long. It'd been desperate and fast. They didn't even manage to get all of their clothes off, just enough to make due. The apartment was quiet in the moments after except for their panting attempts to catch their breath and the slow steady growl.

"Your cat is going to kill me," Shunsui said finally with his face still buried in her neck and hair.

"Put up a kido shield," Nanao said with a shrug. Her mind wasn't really even functioning currently and she could care less if he was afraid of Boo.

He chuckled and she shivered as she felt it reverberate throughout her body. "Bedroom?" he offered.

"Legs aren't working right now," she mumbled closing here eyes and twisting to a more comfortable position beneath him. "Try back again later."

Shunsui snorted and started to get up eliciting a soft whimper from her as his warmth left her. "No need for your legs," he said pulling her up against him again as he picked her up and kicked off the pants that were hanging on to his ankles. Nanao wrapped her legs around his waist for support, her yukata still bunched around her hips, and didn't argue as he made it to her bedroom and kicked her door shut before Boo could dart in. He set her on the bed and took a step back drinking her in with his eyes.

"I hate when you do that," she said blushing and picking at her clothing to twist it back into a more decent position as her brain slowly started to reassert itself.

"Please," he said stopping her hands. "You have nothing to be embarrassed of."

"Doesn't mean it isn't embarrassing," Nanao grumbled as his hands reached behind her for the bow of her obi sash and started loosening it. He kissed down her neck as he went to work and soon enough continued on to her shoulder as he slipped the fabric down and off of her arms. As soon as her wrists and hands were free again she reached for the top of his uniform and started to tug. "Off."

He grinned against her skin and complied as he moved over her and pressed her down on the bed from her previous sitting position. His own hands quickly moved to the all-important task of getting rid of her yukata completely. Hands and mouths started up their tortuous play all over again and an explosion of red lit up the room.

"We're missing the fireworks," he commented somewhere near her bellybutton.

"There's always next year," she sighed out as her hand tangled in his hair and the room took on a blue hue after another explosion. He moved back up to recapture her mouth and they both followed the fireworks' progression into oblivion.

* * *

**A/N: o.O Bad Nanao. As always thank you for all the reviews, they keep me editing and updating quickly!**


	35. After Effects

Nanao woke to the sound of her alarm buzzing and freed her arm to shut the obnoxious noise off.

"Wassit?" Shunsui grumbled next to her.

"Nothing, go back to sleep," she sighed. Kami, what had she done? They'd woken up one more time during the night, and seeing that he'd wanted to talk she hadn't had any choice but to distract him, or at least that's what she was telling herself. If they'd said one word about the actual situation she'd have panicked and had another breakdown. To be honest she didn't know how to feel about it now. As far as she was concerned she was currently as bad as Shunsui. Whatever her and Hisagi might be, she was pretty sure she wasn't supposed to go around sleeping with her ex. To make matters worse she'd been doing it when she was supposed to go back and join them, never mind that'd she'd had no plans to do so with or without Shunsui's presence.

Shunsui's arm dragged her closer to his side and she took a moment to close her eyes and revel in the warmth of that familiar hold. It was all wrong though, and her logical mind knew that. What were they going to do? Pretend everything was all right? Ignore Kiyoko and the child? Ignore the fact that she had just seriously betrayed another man's trust? Nothing had changed, but kami it had felt good to forget that for a little while. It'd felt good to be with him again, to not just feel some physical satisfaction but an emotional one as well. Regardless of anything else this may have damaged she knew for a fact she was going to have to break up with Hisagi. It'd even be good for him. What would he want to do with her now? She'd proven her moral character last night. Nanao sighed and started to move. There was nothing she could do now, not when the Higurashi were expecting her to leave with them in a half hour.

"Nanao-chan," Shunsui murmured wrapping himself more firmly around her as he felt her attempts to escape.

"Shunsui," she huffed like she had so many times on so many other mornings, "Let me go. I have to get to work."

"Issa Saturday," he protested sleepily.

"Rukongai work isn't limited to Monday through Friday," she said rolling her eyes. "Release me and go back to sleep. I have to be there in a half hour."

Shunsui had woken up more by this point and was giving her a disgruntled look. "Skip it."

"Can't," she argued even though his body heat and the soft bed were trying to sway her otherwise.

Shunsui rolled them both so he was on top of her and stole a kiss. "Nanao-chan they won't miss you for one day. We need to talk."

And there it was, what she feared more than anything else. She couldn't talk with him, couldn't explain feelings she wasn't even sure she understood, couldn't ruin this warm feeling by rediscovering that nothing had been altered and that they were still right where they had ended. "I have to go," she said sternly.

"Nanao," he warned.

"We'll talk later, after work when you're awake, but I have to go now," she said unyieldingly. Never mind that after work would be a good solid week from now. He didn't need to know that. Maybe after a week he'd have drawn the same conclusions she had and the conversation wouldn't even be necessary.

"Promise? After work?" he asked watching her closely. He'd know if she were lying she was sure. So it was a good thing she didn't have to.

"Promise," she said honestly. "Go back to sleep." He kissed her again languidly and rolled off of her with a sound of dissatisfaction, letting her slip from the bed. He was quietly snoring by the time she reemerged from the bathroom and took her already packed duffle out of the closet. Thank kami she hadn't left it in the open. He'd have noticed and questioned her instantly. Sparing one last glance at the man sleeping in her bed she moved out of the bedroom and went about bundling Boo quickly into his carrier. That cat was obviously annoyed about everything and she gave a soft huff of laughter. "Yes, your mommy was very bad," she said at the cat's nasty glare. "She's aware." Boo gave an unhappy meow as she stepped out of her apartment and into the early morning air.

A few flash steps later she was knocking rather loudly on Rangiku's door. The woman was sure to be hung over and Nanao didn't have the time to be quiet.

"What?" was the pissed off answer she got as the disheveled blonde flung her door open with a crash. There was a moan behind her, and Nanao spotted Hisagi and Kira passed out on Rangiku's living room floor. Her heart clinched with guilt and she tore her eyes away.

"You said you'd take Boo while I was gone," Nanao said slapping on her fukutaicho face.

"Oh right, is that today then?" Rangiku asked yawning and moving aside motioning her in.

"I can't come in. I'm running late," Nanao said, meanwhile thinking all the money in the world couldn't get her to go in that apartment right now. "Thank you so much," she said thrusting the carrier and the bags of litter and food out at her friend.

"Where were you last night?" Rangiku asked crossing her arms and not accepting anything.

"I saw the fireworks," Nanao admitted which was also sort of true.

Rangiku sighed. "I figured as much. Nanao, you don't have to force yourself so much for our sakes. Shuuhei-kun would understand. We were all a bit drunk last night, but he did feel bad when you didn't return."

Nanao felt the guilt well up inside her and shrugged averting her eyes. "Look, I'm really sorry, but I have got to go. I'm going to be late."

"All right, I get it," Rangiku said, "You don't want to talk about it now, but don't think for a second you're getting away from me when you get back, missy." She reached out to accept the cat and his things. "Be safe, Nanao," she said a little more seriously.

"I will."

"Do you want me to wake, Shuuhei-kun?"

"No," Nanao said quickly. "It's fine, he knew I was leaving. Let him sleep. I'll see you all in a week." That said she waved goodbye and took off at top speeds for the Rukongai. She had the serious passing thought that maybe she could just stay in Apulia for the rest of her foreseeable life. Then she wouldn't have to have any of the uncomfortable talks she was apparently expected to have when she returned. How had she gotten herself so deep?

Nanao landed in the Higurashi courtyard just barely on time. It was pretty obvious too as almost everyone in their party was already mounted, just twelve men and women all together. She'd be the thirteenth.

"About time, shinigami-chan," Kei called with a grin. "Thought you were going to stand us up for a moment. Mount up." He nodded his head to the horse whose reins he was holding. She walked rapidly towards him, secured her bag first and then took a shunpo step into the saddle. She winced as abused muscles protested the position. "Riding something else last night?" Kei asked sending her a lewd smile.

"Are we leaving or not?" she asked sharply.

Kei just grinned and handed her the reins. "Well, now that Shinigami-chan has pulled herself away from her late night Tanabata romp, let's move," he called to the rest of his people. Nanao sent him a withering glare as he mounted his own horse and fell into procession as they moved out of the Higurashi compound.

It only took about an hour into the ride for her brother to feel comfortable enough with the formation and security to fall back and speak with her. "Morning."

"Not going to glare at me today?" she asked yawning.

"Well, there didn't seem to be much of a point since regardless of how I feel you're coming with us and keeping your secrets," he replied with a shrug.

"Why are you so against this anyway?"

"Nao, the deeper you get with us the more danger you'll be in everyday. Going to this thing, you're declaring a kind of loyalty with the Higurashi to more than one family," he said shaking his head. "It's not black and white out here, save the souls kill the bad hollows. These aren't hollows, but there's still a hell of a lot of bad people and their masks aren't nearly as obvious. The reason I put you with the shinigami instead of keeping you with me was to keep you away from Tanaka and the people like him, and now you're walking willingly back into it. You can understand how that doesn't sit well with me."

"The Gotei 13 isn't as black and white as you think," Nanao said softly thinking of the Winter War. Remembering the broken looks on the squads faces as their own betrayed them. The lack of trust that was rampant in the ranks afterwards. Her first moment of fear that her Taicho thought she was a traitor too when he'd ordered her to stay in the Seireitei. Knowing logically it was only his oppressive way of keeping her safe, but at the same time wondering if perhaps he wondered about her allegiance, or if not him then the Soutaicho. Kami, she had never hated him more than when he left her behind.

"I'm trying Nao-chan, I really am," Mamoru said with a sigh.

"I know, I'm sorry," Nanao answered clearing her head. "Look, let's just stop fighting. I can't take being upset with you or having you upset with me."

"Deal," he said with a grin. "So I was thinking that when we get back we might have dinner with Shin's family and maybe you could bring Hisagi-san along? We could get to know him better."

"What?" she asked surprised.

"Oh, come on," her brother said gesturing towards Kei. "He might be an ass, but he's generally pretty observant, must be getting serious."

"Having sex with someone does not necessarily make it serious," Nanao said with a snort and hoping someone would interrupt this conversation now. The thought made her stomach clench up.

"Nao-chan," Mamoru started in his best big brother tone. "I won't have my baby sister off gallivanting around with some virtually unknown man. Especially one with a 69 tattooed on his face."

"He got it when he was a kid, in honor of a mentor," Nanao said rolling her eyes. "He didn't know anything about the sexual implications."

"That's what they all say," her brother replied with a laugh. "Seriously, Nao, I'd like to get to know him better."

Nanao sighed and shifted in her saddle uncomfortably. "I don't think I'll be seeing him in that capacity anymore," she finally admitted quietly.

Mamoru raised his eyebrows in question. "I never expected you to be a love 'em and leave 'em type of girl."

"I wasn't with Hisagi-san last night," she said looking straight ahead.

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh," she repeated refusing to face him. "Anyway its not like I can go back to dating him now."

"He might forgive you," Mamoru offered, all the humor gone from his voice.

"He shouldn't, and beyond that it wouldn't be fair to him," Nanao said dully. "I'm still in love with Shunsui. I might always be. Until I can move on from that it'd be a waste."

"You were with Kyouraku," her brother confirmed. "Damnit Nanao, he cheated on you and broke your heart."

"I know that," she said firmly. "I didn't say I was going back to him. I just said that last night proved to me how futile it is trying to see anyone else before I figure myself out."

"It's your life," Mamoru said shaking his head. "I just think its possible you haven't given the new guy enough of a chance."

"It has nothing to do with Hisagi," Nanao said with a shrug. "He's a wonderful man. He didn't do anything wrong. It was me, but that doesn't make it any less over."

Her brother let out a whistle and sighed. "Sounds like you'll be having a fun time when you return."

"Yeah, don't remind me," Nanao moped. "A week with Kei-san and then a return to the emotional fall out. I'm a lucky girl."

Mamoru snorted and glanced over the troops. "Eh, it won't be all bad. Apulia has their festival this time of year. All the times we're not working you're free to enjoy. They even have a masquerade one night, masks and everything."

"Oh kami, why doesn't anyone just enjoy a nice quiet evening alone anymore?" Nanao groaned.

Mamoru laughed and said, "You're such a hermit."

"I just don't need social acceptance as much as everyone else," she replied sticking out her tongue at him. "I'm perfectly content by myself."

"You're going to die as the crazy old cat lady," Mamoru teased.

"I like my cat just fine, thanks," she said smiling back.

"You're hopeless baby sister," he replied with a smile.

"And you have more important things to do than sit here and debate my personal life," she said sending him a mock glare. "Come on we have days of riding till Apulia, can we just forget about my personal failings for the next week?"

"But your personal failings are so fun to harp on," he mocked.

"Oh, keep going down that path nii-san and I'll be forced to bring up some of your failings in front of your men," she threatened.

"You've got nothing," he said narrowing his eyes at her.

"Last year's Seireitei Christmas party," Nanao started smirking. "You accepted Shunsui's challenge of a drinking contest."  
"Right you can stop," he said sitting up straight.

"You lost," she continued. "Which really? Did you think you would win? Against Shunsui? You aren't Rangiku. Found you a few hours later hitting on Yumichika-san."

"I thought he was a girl," Mamoru defended. "What with the feathers and nice hair, and besides your stupid shinigami uniforms make you all look the same."

"Right," Nanao said with a laugh. "Keep telling yourself that."

"You know what? I have men to lead," he said rolling his eyes. "You keep your stories to yourself and I'll stop commenting on your cat lady status."

"Thought so," Nanao said smiling as he kicked his horse into a trot. She moved closer up to the group just as a man started up with a song. "Oh I like this one," she commented offhandedly.

The man stopped singing and the group turned around to stare at her. "You know this song?" someone asked.

Nanao rolled her eyes. "Of course. You all keep forgetting I grew up in the Rukongai. Beyond that I had a Taicho with an unusual love of all shanties, ballads, and vulgar drinking songs. Anything you've got, I can match and top."

"You're on," another man yelled.

"You just started a losing fight," Nanao answered with a laugh. She'd dragged a drunk singing Kyouraku home for hundreds of years. These men had just walked into a massacre.

* * *

"Ran-san," he called chasing after her through the street. Well it was chasing for him at least. Most people probably viewed it as a quick stroll.

"Kyouraku Taicho," she greeted neutrally. The woman had still not fully decided what category to put him in. They'd been friends too, independent of him and Nanao. She was not quite as skilled as Jyuushiro at staying friendly with both sides.

"Have you seen Nanao-chan?" he asked.

"Why?" the woman demanded crossing her arms. Wrong question to start with, he thought.

"She was supposed to come by to talk with me and I haven't been able to find her," he clarified with a shrug. "Never mind, I'm sure she'll find me on her own."

"Yeah in a week or so," Rangiku said with a snort.

"What's that supposed to mean?" he asked confused.

"I saw her this morning, Kyouraku-san, she dropped Boo off to stay with me," Rangiku explained. "She's out with the Higurashi for some yakuza meeting. She'll be back in a week."

He tried very hard but he knew he'd let some of his reiatsu slip in pure frustration when he saw her eyes widen. "She knew she was going then? She wasn't just called away suddenly?"

"She told me about it a couple days ago," Rangiku admitted slowly.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you," he said quickly turning to go. Nanao had done it on purpose then. Left without sorting anything out at all. He'd known she didn't want to talk about what happened, but he hadn't thought she'd go to this extreme just to avoid it. Matsumoto's hand on his arm stopped him.

"What's going on Shunsui-san?" she asked concerned. "Is she in trouble?"

"No, nothing like that," Shunsui said bitterly. "I should have known better. I'll talk to you after work. After work in a week," he added in a mutter.

"Why did she want to talk to you? She didn't say anything to me about it this morning," Matsumoto said. "Or last night at the bar."

"She obviously didn't want to talk to me," Shunsui said shaking his head. "That would be the problem."

"What happened?" Rangiku prodded.

"Nothing, apparently," Shunsui sighed, "and I was a fool to think otherwise."

"What happened?" Rangiku repeated narrowing her eyes.

"A momentary lapse in judgment it would seem," he said with a self-deprecating smile. "She made no mention of me whatsoever?"

"No," Rangiku said watching him. "Just said she saw the fireworks when she disappeared last night."

"Right," he said nodding. "Right. Thank you Rangiku-san."

"Are you all right?" she asked as he turned to go.

"I'll be fine," he said with a shrug and a forced smile. "I'm a big boy."

"Shunsui," Rangiku called, stopping him once more. He looked back at her and she was biting her lip nervously. "There's something I've always wanted to ask you."

"Go ahead," he said scrutinizing her from under his hat.

"Why'd you do it?"

"If you are referring to Kiyoko-san, I have no recollection of it, so I don't have any answers to give you," he said. "All I know is that I love Nanao, and I wish I could take back what happened but I can't. So here we are."

Rangiku frowned and sighed. "Hisagi-kun is good to her."

"And is he good _for_ her as well?" Shunsui asked with a small smile. "You know that isn't going to last. Hisagi-san is a good sweet boy, and Nanao, Nanao is a girl who needs a challenge. You really think they're going to grow old and soft together? Not my Nanao-chan. She'll break his heart."

"She already has, hasn't she?" Rangiku asked quietly. "She was with you last night, wasn't she?"

He glanced at his feet and back up. "There might be someone other than me out there for her, but Hisagi isn't it, and you know it."

"Is she planning on leaving him then?"

"You know as much as I do," Shunsui answered honestly. "Probably more."

"I think I liked you both a lot better when you were dancing around the fact that you loved each other," Rangiku said shaking her head. "At least no one else was getting dragged into the mess back then. You're both such good people until you start screwing with the other's mind."

"You always hurt the ones you love," Shunsui intoned. "I'll see you around Rangiku-san. If you see Nanao first, tell her I want to speak with her."

"Yes, sir, Kyouraku Taicho," Rangiku replied crisply.

* * *

**A/N: So most of you called the regret :) Nothing is easy with them. Anyhoo trying to keep the updates coming quickly! About 100 pages to go. Thank you all for the reviews!**


	36. Old Friends

Nanao found her mind drifting and consciously brought her focus back to the people in front of her. After two days of travel and two days of long tedious meetings even she was feeling the strain. Especially since half of the meetings were about trading disputes, one quarter were about territory and personnel allocation, and the last quarter were completely unproductive arguments about kami only knew what. She'd long figured out all the actual important meetings took place in a few short minutes between a handful of people in a dark hallway, or in brief passing, or behind closed doors. At least she'd been able to talk to some of the other Rukongai family representatives and get them interested in talking to the Gotei 13 or at least hearing out what they had to offer. That was more than most shinigami could hope for without the backing of a family. The family members attending the meetings tended to stick to their own groups and Nanao was relieved she'd found some kind of peace with most of the Higurashi before taking this trip or it would have been a hell week. She was ashamed to admit it, but these meetings were in desperate need of a Shunsui type character who would break them up by simply falling asleep and snoring loudly, or walking out, or at least occasionally saying something funny.

"Going to stand there all day, shinigami-chan?"

Nanao snapped out of her revere to see Kei standing next to her and the masses starting to move towards the doors. "Sorry," she said, unable to hide the blush at being caught not paying attention.

"I'll tell you a secret, shinigami-chan, half the time we aren't listening either," Kei said with a grin. "One of the many reasons Mamoru-kun is so good at his job. He actually likes some of this planning and debate. Something I thought the two of you were alike in actually."

"I'm good at it, and I like some of the easy ritual of it," Nanao said, "I do not, however, love it nonstop for two days on end." It's not like Shunsui would ever have let her be for two days straight anyway so she'd never had to test it in the past. "You should really think about having more frequent meetings that are shorter or letting the Gotei 13 help you with your communication devices."

"And would the shinigami? Help us make crime more organized?" Kei asked lifting an eyebrow.

"You and I both know as long as you aren't dealing with hollows and aren't playing too hard in the 30th districts on up there are very few shinigami who care one way or another," Nanao said with a shrug. "Why do you think I was a liaison to all of you and not some elected law enforcement in the first couple of districts? Communication devices would make your patrols more effective and would let you talk to the Seireitei and give them first hand information on spotted hollows and attacks. Kami only knows someone must have seen something when Aizen was experimenting. It would have been nice for them to have a safe way to inform us of it."

"They'll think you've gone mad," Kei said simply.

"I was put out here to forge relations," Nanao replied trying not to get aggrevated. "I think the Soutaicho is a bright enough man to know that requires some back and forth."

Kei humpfed an answer and kept walking at her side. "So what are you up to tonight now that you're free? Don't tell me you'll be at the inn reading a book while everyone else goes out to the carnival."

"No," Nanao said trying to hide her sigh. A warm bath and a good book actually sounded heavenly. "Asa-san invited me out with the group. Made me get a mask and everything."

"Aw, so cute," he said smiling, "Shinigami-chan is making friends."

"Tell me you won't be coming with us," Nanao said half seriously.

"No need to worry," he said with a chuckle. "I have a woman to meet." Nanao made a face and he laughed harder. "Hey now, you had your fun before we left, can't come down on a man for having some after."

Nanao glared at him and picked up her pace. She really didn't need to be reminded about Shunsui. It wasn't like he wasn't already in her dreams every night reminding her how much she had royally screwed up. Not to mention it was his birthday and she couldn't help wondering if he hated her for not being there. She still didn't want to talk to him, but this lack of closure was almost equally uncomfortable. "Well I have to get back and change," Nanao said, ready to shunpo out of the masses and get away from this line of conversation.

"So touchy shinigami-chan," Kei teased. "All right, don't get into too much trouble under our name."

"As if it's _me_ you have to worry about," she said shooting him a nasty look before turning to leave.

He grabbed her arm and stalled her. "Actually it is. I don't care if my men get in a few drunken fights or occasionally slip into the wrong bed and cause a stir. You on the other hand are all sorts of emotionally unpredictable and like to stick your nose where it doesn't belong."

"You have nothing to worry about," she repeated meeting his eyes. "I'm going out, having a drink and a dance to placate Asa-san, and then I'm going back to the inn."

"You should get laid too," he said with a wink and reverting back to his playact. "Might take the edge off." Then he strode off in the other direction whistling.

Kami, she really hated that man sometimes. Nanao started towards the inn and sighed as she spotted a petite brunette girl making her way towards her in the crowd. Asa was a nice girl and Nanao really did need to get out and bond with these people further, but she was just worn out from social engagements. They were a lot more tiresome when you didn't have Shunsui at your side to take the brunt of the attention and keep the conversation flowing. Small groups she was fine with, but these large citywide festivities just gave her a headache generally. She'd already been forced to pick up a dress and a mask at a local venue this morning by Asa though, so she might as well give them some use. She waved to the girl and they walked together back to the inn while Asa chatted happily about all her plans for the evening, many of which centered around Asa hooking up with cute men.

Four hours later Nanao was more than annoyed. She'd been pushing through the crowds of people with Asa and another girl and completely lost them in the masses. Nanao sighed and did another half turn in the street. It was useless. The streets were packed and with everyone in bright dresses and suits and masks it was almost impossible to spot someone unless you were already with them. Not that she was entirely disappointed. Asa had managed to wrangle up some men who had told them about some party somewhere and who they had proceeded to follow. The third man of the group had already tried to put his arm around Nanao twice before she lost the group and she didn't appreciate it in the least. If nothing else this was the legitimate excuse she'd been hoping for to return back to the inn. Pressing through the throng of people she turned around.

She almost made it all the way back successfully too, but was distracted when she picked up a snippet of conversation that held the name Egami. Craning her head rapidly she tried to see if it was a Higurashi talking about her brother. Of course, this was made more difficult by the masks.

"I'm just saying of all the people to worry about it's Egami-san," a man said frowning from underneath his domino mask at his friend as they turned off on a less used side road.

She really shouldn't do what she was about to do, but Nanao started following them all the same trying to be discrete about it and mesh with the thinned out crowd. She was suddenly wishing she'd chosen any color other than vibrant red for her current dress. It was like a screaming beacon for people to notice her.

"It doesn't matter if its Egami-san or not," the other man replied lowly. "The plan is still the same."

The crowd pushed Nanao back a bit and she missed the first man's response. Growling internally she hurried to cross the street before a carriage and stay close behind them. When she got to the other side of the street she paused at a street vendor pretending to examine the wares and then walked after them again.

"I just think you aren't putting enough thought into this, you've met the man, he isn't an idiot. If Egami-san holds the position of Kumicho for the Higurashi permanently we are going to have a problem and you know it," the first man argued.

If only she could see their faces she would know who to warn the Higurashi about. Nanao slipped into a larger group of drunks and watched as the two men turned into a dark street. She gave them a good head start and then followed. The dark street was empty and Nanao nearly cursed in frustration. They must have entered a building somewhere. She strode more purposefully down the street as she tried to make out where they might have gone in. A door opened further along and the light and sound of a party filtered out as someone dumped something out in the bushes and then went back inside. It was the only possible lead she had so she started towards the door, only to find herself brutally slammed against the wall of the building next to her.

Nanao hammered a kido punch into her attacker before she could even fully register what was going on. The person gave a grunt but didn't relax their hold. Someone that could stand up to reiatsu? Fine then, she'd tempered the last hit anyway for fear of killing the person. Nanao pressed her hand out blindly as the person was pinning her from the side and made contact with their shoulder before firing off a Soren Sokatsui . The two shots of blue fire hit her attacker directly and wrenched the person off of her allowing Nanao to spin a quarter turn and face her attacker directly. She was met with a fierce white diamond shaped mask. One slit ran horizontally and one vertically across it.

"This might be more fun than initially presumed," the woman snarled.

Nanao's eyes widened in shock. This was not a masquerade mask. "Arrancar," she breathed. Her hand shot down for her sword at the same time as she started another kido silently.

"I don't think so," the arrancar sneered before slamming into her again and grabbing the wrist reaching for her zanpaktou.

"I don't believe I asked permission," Nanao growled back. Taking a brief second to make sure there were no innocent bystanders Nanao raised her hand and let loose the Hyoga Seiran she'd been quietly building in her mind. The massive wave of ice surged forth pummeling her attacker back away from her and then freezing the arrancar and the surrounding area in place. Nanao didn't waste any time believing that would be the end of that, she flipped her hand up under the skirts of her dress and took Kage out just as the creature started shrugging off the sheet of ice.

It took Nanao a moment to realize the arrancar was laughing. "And here I was thinking you were some kumicho's whore sent to spy. That level of kido, I wonder what your blade does, sweetheart," the woman said dangerously. "It's a waste of a pretty woman, but I have a job to do and bills to pay."

"You're working for a family?" Nanao asked too shocked not too. Since when were arrancars for hire? Sure they'd followed Aizen, but that was out of respect for his strength and thinking they'd gain power. She didn't think she'd ever heard them be motivated by monetary payment.

"Got to pay for the sake somehow," the creature said cocking her head to the side. "And the shinigami gig didn't stick."

Nanao felt her stomach drop as the woman charged her again. She slid Kage back into the sheath and could hear his growl of protest in her head. Then she faced her attacker limply. The white hollow mask came within a few centimeters of her face and then stopped, her sword to Nanao's throat.

"Why don't you fight?" the woman demanded.

"Why didn't you say you're a Vizored?"

"What do you know about it?" the woman asked in a dangerously low tone.

Nanao glanced at the dark braid of the Vizored standing in front of her and said very quietly, "Yadomaru-san?"

The woman relaxed her stance a bit and let the mask disintegrate from her face. Nanao found herself staring into the bright green eyes of her old mentor. "And who are you?" Yadomaru asked not moving the sword from her throat. She reached up and tugged the mask Nanao wore over her head.

"Ise Nanao," Nanao said softly, but she'd seen the note of recognition on the woman's face and knew it hadn't needed to be said. After all Yadomaru had already seen her once after the Winter War, although Nanao hadn't been positive she'd remember. Given she'd already been out of her Vizored mask at the time.

It'd been a brief meeting really. When the troops had been crossing back into Soul Society Nanao had gone out to meet them. Not that she hadn't still been pissed as all hell at her Taicho for leaving her behind, but that didn't mean she'd wanted him dead. She'd tried to be calm and collected, waiting at the gate like she didn't care what happened, but she'd lost her cool the second she'd felt the abnormalities in his reiatsu. Nanao had ended up shunpoing through the gate and towards him only to find her double already there and helping him to his feet. She'd stopped short when she'd recognized Yadomaru and hadn't been able to explain why instead of joy she'd felt her stomach drop. Hadn't she been hoping for years to meet Yadomaru fukutaicho again? But for some reason all she'd wanted to do was knock the woman's hand away from her Taicho.

"Yare, yare, always pushing me around," Kyouraku had teased the woman next to him, and Nanao had frozen at the so very familiar comment aimed at someone else.

"Well if someone didn't make you, you'd be so lazy you'd just lay down and die," Yadomaru had answered harshly back. "If it weren't for sake and sex you'd never wake up, and I'm pretty sure you're so fond of both because they both generally end with sleeping."

"Three things I could very much use right now," he'd said laughing. Nanao had taken a step back, suddenly unsure if she was even welcome in his presence, which was a first. He'd been with other women before and it hadn't mattered. She'd always barged right in and ignored them. But this, this was different. Some sound must have alerted him to her existence though and he'd turned and seen her. "Lovely Nanao-chan!" he'd called with a huge grin. "Have you come to give me a check up?"

She'd felt more than seen her old mentor's eyes size her up and she'd felt her mouth go dry. "Sir," she forced herself to say. "If I'd had any interest in giving people check ups I'd have joined the 4th. Speaking of, has someone seen to you?"

"Then a kiss?" he'd asked ignoring her question and taking a step towards her, wincing from his injuries.

"Hang on," Yadomaru had said taking both of their attentions. "Nanao-chan? As in little Ise Nanao? The kid I used to read with?"

"Yadomaru-sama," Nanao had said bowing to her and physically having to restrain herself from using fukutaicho in the title.

"You're screwing her?" Yadomaru had asked bluntly. "A little young even for you don't you think, you big pervert?"

"Lisa-chan," he'd said trying to look offended. "Nanao-chan is my fukutaicho."

"So you're screwing her."

"No, no, no, Nanao-chan keeps shooting down her dashing Taicho's advances," Kyouraku said dramatically. "Although I can't understand why in the world she'd want to do that."

"Sir," Nanao had cut in harshly. "Has someone from the 4th been over to see to you?"

"Yare, yare, you always worry so much," he'd said brushing her off. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine," Nanao had said simply, finally moving towards the pair and reaching out to him with her reiatsu. She'd found someone had already seen to him in a rudimentary field way. The stabilizing kido spells had reeked of Yadomaru's reiatsu. Nanao had pulled her own reiatsu back quickly.

"Lisa-chan made sure I wouldn't bleed out," Kyouraku had said grinning. "She pretends not to care, but she can't help herself."

Yadomaru had snorted and rolled her eyes. "Just didn't want the Soutaicho blaming us for any of his pansy Taichos' deaths."

"Admit that you've missed touching my reiatsu," Kyouraku had replied wiggling his eyebrows at her suggestively.

"Eh, I liked other parts of you better than your reiatsu," Yadomaru had countered just as lewdly.

Nanao had wanted to turn around and march right back into Soul Society, but she hadn't been able to figure out how to do it without looking like a pouting child. Instead she'd sent her reiatsu searching for Ukitake and Rangiku. Both were in relatively bad shape, but Unohana-san was working on Rangiku as she scanned. Ukitake Taicho was surrounded by his third seats who had run out of the gate for him as soon as it opened, but she had figured she could be more helpful there getting him back across the border.

"I'm going to check on Ukitake Taicho," she'd announced not really expecting either of them to even care where she was going.

"Hey," Kyouraku had said focusing on her instantly. "How come Jyuu gets your tender loving care? Retsu-san has already seen to him. I'm hurt too you know."

"I'm sure Yadomaru-sama has it more than under control," Nanao had said simply. "And while I'm happy that you're all right, I haven't forgotten that I'm angry at you."

Kyouraku flinched and gave a half smile. "Can't we let bygones be bygones?"

"You went out of your way to have me held back, sir," she'd answered frostily.

"I just wanted my Nanao-chan safe," he'd argued which she'd already heard many times as he'd tried to placate her before he'd left.

"I'm a fukutaicho," Nanao had growled. "I should have been here."

"Nanao-chan," he'd sighed looking tired. "I couldn't risk it."

"Since when?" Yadomaru had asked curiously. "You used to send me into all sorts of crazy missions."

Nanao had glared and said coldly. "Unlike myself, he must have thought you were a capable shinigami."

"Nanao," he'd started in his warning tone. "Don't put words in my mouth."

"Then don't treat me like a sickly child," she'd hissed and started to move away.

He'd shunpoed to her side in one moment and was blocking her way although he'd looked to be in pain from the movement. "I don't think you aren't capable."

"Sure sounds like it to me," Yadomaru had said with a laugh from behind them. "You always did have such a soft spot for fragile things." Nanao had felt her spine turn to steel at those words and had wanted nothing more than to get as far away as humanly possible from the two of them.

"You aren't helping," Kyouraku had chastised his former fukutaicho.

"Get out of my way, sir," Nanao had said quietly. "I have nice safe work to attend to."

"Nanao-chan," he'd cooed trying to soften her as he'd reached to touch her cheek. She'd slammed her fan down hard on his hand regardless of his injuries. She'd not been able to bear the thought of him touching her at that moment.

"Ukitake Taicho could use my help," she'd stated calmly. "I trust you want your friend to get the attention he needs? I'm sure you can make it back to the Seireitei without my aid."

"You can't stay mad at me forever," he'd sighed shuffling to the side.

"Watch me, sir," she'd said firmly.

"I just wanted the best for you," he'd finished lamely.

"Can't have sex with a dead woman after all," Yadomaru had crowed. "Well you could, but that's never been your style."

"Lisa," Kyouraku had scolded turning to the woman, as he had obviously figured out her jokes wouldn't help the situation.

"I'll see you on Monday, sir," Nanao had said quickly and then taken off for Ukitake's side. She'd managed to avoid her Taicho for the next two days while the Vizoreds were in the Seireitei, and hadn't seen Lisa again. She wasn't sure what she'd felt towards her former mentor, but it certainly hadn't been the warm fuzzies she'd expected. She'd been more than pleased when none of them had decided to stay, and hadn't thought she'd see them again. That is until now.

"What the hell are you doing all the way out here?" the woman in front of her asked. "Kyouraku let you this far off your leash? I'm surprised the lazy bastard hasn't jumped me for attacking you yet."

"He isn't here," Nanao answered coldly.

"Then why are you here?" Yadomaru asked finally lowering her sword.

"I'm here with the Higurashi family," Nanao said flicking away the small pearls of blood the sharp blade had left along her neck.

"You quit the Gotei 13?" Yadomaru asked obviously shocked.

"No, I'm their ambassador to the Rukongai," Nanao explained.

Yadomaru gave a whistle and rocked back on her heels. "Were you that bad of a fukutaicho?"

"No," Nanao said sharply. "It didn't have anything to do with my skills as a fukutaicho."

"You finally screwed him and it got messy then?" Yadomaru asked with a grin.

Nanao tried to keep her face passive, but something must have given her away as Yadomaru nodded to herself. "Interesting," Lisa said relaxing completely. "So why are you following the Yamaguchi brothers?"

"I didn't know that was who they were," Nanao said honestly. "They were having an interesting conversation is all. Why were you around, I presume following them as well?"

"Eh, the Yamaguchi Kumicho hired me to look out for the family during the meetings," Lisa said.

"I didn't realize the Vizoreds had become mercenaries," Nanao said distastefully.

Lisa laughed and didn't look the least bit offended. "We do whatever we want. After we defeated Aizen," she started and didn't stop when Nanao snorted, "there wasn't much left to focus on so we all just got on with living. Sometimes together sometimes not. I knew the Kumicho personally and he's a pretty good time and a big load of cash. No skin off my nose to help him out. Plus when I'm off the clock he throws some of the most delightful parties."

"Great, glad you're having fun," Nanao said. "Look I have to be getting back now."

"Hold on," Lisa said grabbing her arm. "It'd be a problem for me if whatever you overheard was going to start some family feud. I'd better take you to the Kumicho."

"It won't. I just needed to know who to be wary of," Nanao said sharply jerking her arm free.

"Ambassador to the Rukongai comes with this much loyalty to one family?" Yadomaru asked raising an eyebrow. "You sleeping with the Higurashi Kumicho? I thought he just died. Or maybe its that up and coming one, Moru or something?"

"Mamoru," Nanao said icily. "He's my brother."

"You're sleeping with your brother?" Lisa asked looking interested. "How are people taking that? I've always wondered." Nanao gave her a disgusted look and she continued. "What? Healthy curiosity. Just for the record I have no problem with it as long as they are both consenting adults. Although I can't imagine Kyouraku's taking it very well."

"I'm not sleeping with my brother," Nanao said nastily. She liked Lisa a lot better when she was just an aloof intelligent mentor that cared about her kido skills. The actual woman had very little in common with her. "He's just my brother and I won't see him get killed over some stupid family squabble. They were talking about him possibly being a problem."

"Eh, they probably meant for a trade route or his particular policies," Lisa said shrugging. "That hardly means they are going to kill the boy. It's like interdivisional scuffles. Generally nobody really gets killed because it'd tear the whole system apart."

"Very comforting," Nanao said sarcastically.

"Come on, kid, loosen up," Lisa said with a laugh. "How in the world did you and Shunsui ever happen? He never dated someone this uptight before."

"That's really none of your business," Nanao said.

"You both get blackout drunk or something?" Lisa asked curiously obviously not taking the hint. "Wake up in the morning and have the horrible 'what have I done' thought? Or was it more a stifled sort of thing until he just couldn't take the missionary sex anymore?"

"None of the above," Nanao said starting to get angry. What did this woman know about her anyway? She'd only been a little girl when Lisa had left them. Nanao herself obviously hadn't known the fukutaicho very well at the time, just a child's perception of her.

"Ah, so you're one of those girls that lets all her built up anxiety out in private then," Lisa said cocking her head to the side. "I dated a noble woman like that. Out in society on her husband's arm she was the perfect standard of a well-bred woman and then in the dark corners in the late hours of the night she'd just let it all go. I could barely keep up with her. You wear Shunsui-kun out then?"

I don't want to talk about this," Nanao said. "It was nice seeing you Yadomaru-san. Do have a pleasant night."

Lisa moved in front of her again and Nanao had a kido building before she could take a step forward. "I'm leaving."

"Calm down," Lisa said. "Come to the party."

"What?" Nanao asked surprised as she let the spell drop again.

"I was off the clock two minutes ago," Lisa said shrugging. "You want some real insights into the yakuza? Come to the party. You'll even get to meet some of the Apulia nobility since the Yamaguchi family actually has a lot of political connections."

"Why would you want someone as stuffy as me there?" Nanao asked glaring.

"Three reasons," Lisa said smiling and moving sleekly into her personal space. "Reason one, you look delicious in that dress and I don't have any qualms about sloppy seconds. Reason two, Kyouraku must have liked something about you and it intrigues me."

Nanao shoved her way around her having heard quite enough.

"Reason three, you were always a curiosity to me. From the first day I saw you at the public executions in the Rukongai with Tanaka to the day you showed up at our division doorstep. I'm just as interested to see how you finally turned out," Lisa said as Nanao started to walk away. The last reason stopped her cold.

"What do you know about Tanaka?" Nanao demanded spinning on her. Lisa shouldn't know anything about it at all.

"I knew who you were the moment you showed up in the 8th, Nanao-chan," Lisa said with a laugh. "Why do you think I was interested in you in the first place?"

"Yet you never told anyone?" Nanao asked. "Not even Kyouraku Taicho?"

"Why would I?" Lisa asked cocking her head to the side. "And take all the fun out of it when Tanaka finally showed up and everything exploded? By the way has that happened yet? Has he found you?"

Nanao was silent and Yadomaru laughed. "As for Shunsui, why would I tell him? We weren't bosom buddies who shared our deepest thoughts and secrets. We worked together, fought together, and occasionally had some steamy sex. There wasn't any sweet loving pillow talk between us. So what happened when Tanaka found you? I imagine from the way Shunsui was behaving towards you at the fight with Aizen he didn't take the information well."

"Did you use my father's services?" Nanao asked neutrally. A lot depended on the woman's answer.

"I don't use unwilling partners," Lisa said icily. "I knew what he was. You forget I grew up in the Rukongai too. He offered me a job once before I joined the Gotei 13 and I shot him down. Doesn't mean I forgot what was happening out in the districts. Doesn't mean I couldn't put two and two together when I'd seen you in his company and later heard on the streets he was searching for his children just as you showed up at our gates. It really didn't take a lot of investigative work to figure out your academy papers and divisional placement had been forged or bribed."

"Why didn't you just hand me back over?"

"Like I said the situation was interesting," Lisa said with a shrug. "Why ruin my fun with such a boring action. Besides, even I don't like seeing children sold to the highest bidder. I have a healthy curiosity about sex that doesn't mean I support sex trafficking in any way. Had Tanaka tried to take you back I would have explained the situation to Shunsui. Even without really knowing you he'd have lost his shit over a child being sold for that. Which could have been fun to watch too."

"Glad that my entire life was just one big game for you," Nanao spat out.

"Oh don't get so pissy," Lisa said with a shrug. "It worked out didn't it? I wouldn't have let the old bastard have you back if he had come looking. Now are you coming to the party or not?"

"I'm not here to attend parties," Nanao said simply.

"You're here to meet yakuza right?" Lisa asked. "Well I'm inviting you into the home of one of the most powerful yakuza families in Apulia and it's a one time offer. Take it or leave it."

Nanao growled internally as the woman started walking away from her, and then picked her mask up off the ground, dusted it off, and jogged after her. Lisa just smirked as Nanao pulled the mask back down over her face. "I'm only doing this for sake of my job."

"Somehow I imagine you saying the exact same thing before crawling into Shunsui's bed at night," Lisa said with a laugh knocking on the door the two men had gone in through earlier and being promptly greeted by two burly bouncers, which effectively cut off any angry retort from Nanao. Perhaps staying with Lisa was not such a good idea after all.

* * *

**A/N: So like I said the last chapter of Bleach made this all AU, but I'm actually surprised the Vizoreds decided to stay. They seemed like they'd been screwed hard enough by the Gotei 13 to want something different out of life. Oh well, at least we get to keep awesome characters in the manga. As always, reviews please!**


	37. Forgotten Nights

"Norio-kun," Lisa purred to one of the men that had opened the door for them. The house was crowded with partygoers. "You look well tonight."

"Lisa-san," the man greeted smiling. "I'm a lot better now that you've shown up, and who might this be?"

"An old friend," Lisa said wrapping her arm around Nanao's shoulder. "How long are you working the door?"

"A couple hours more," he said with a shrug. "Wanna meet up after?"

"If I haven't found something better," Lisa agreed grinning. The man just laughed and stepped aside.

"You ladies have a real good time," he called.

"Oh we will!"

Nanao plucked at Lisa's fingers and dropped her arm off her shoulders distastefully. "Is there anyone you wouldn't sleep with?"

"A few people," Lisa offered with a shrug. "Not many."

"It doesn't bother you that you don't even know who you're sleeping with?" Nanao asked trying to hide her own curiosity.

"I don't get to personally know everyone I fight with and it doesn't bother me," Lisa said with a shrug. "Why should sex be any different? It's a physical action that results in pleasure. Who cares who's on the other side? Shunsui-kun and I argued about it often, but he never did win me over to his point of view."

"You cared for Kyouraku Taicho though," Nanao argued. "At least a little. I knew that even when I was a child."

"I care for a lot of people," Lisa said grabbing a drink off a passing tray. "It has nothing to do with whether or not I'm having sex with them. I care for them because of who and what they are, not because of what they can do to my body."

"I didn't mean it like that," Nanao said frowning.

"No one ever does, but isn't that what they're implying when you boil off all the niceties? I was never one for dancing around the facts, and the facts are loving someone should be completely independent from you screwing them," Lisa said moving them through the crowd.

"But loving them makes having sex with them better," Nanao stated simply.

"Now who are you to make that declaration?" Lisa asked glancing at Nanao over her shoulder. "Ever had sex with someone you didn't care for? I highly doubt it. I've had sex with people I did care for and people I didn't and in both situations I've had excellent sex and crappy sex. Sex is just sex."

Having no obvious defense against her comments, and very little real life experience to try and argue, Nanao trailed along behind her mulling the thought over. It didn't sit right with her, but in its own twisted way it was sweet that Lisa could admit to loving people completely independently of her physical attraction to them. Then again Nanao knew she simply would never be comfortable going to bed with a stranger. They made their way up a flight of stairs and out onto a balcony overlooking the party out in the gardens. Nanao paused to look at the gorgeous grounds and felt a shock run through her system as she recognized an unmasked face in the crowd. She clenched the railing between her hands and felt her knuckles go white.

"What's wrong?" Yadomaru asked noticing the change in her and glancing out over the crowd.

"I know that man," Nanao said watching him like a hawk.

"Which one?"

"The greasy looking one in the blue shirt," Nanao said tracking him with her eyes.

"Ah, Abe-san, he's a real piece of work," Lisa said spotting the man. "Where do you know him from?"

"He was a buyer of my fathers," Nanao said simply. "He was trying to buy me."

Lisa let out a whistle and joined her at the railing. "Doesn't surprise me. There's all sorts of disgusting gossip about him. Lots of underage servants in his house. Some of them occasionally go missing or wind up dead. Unfortunately he's a noble so what can you do?"

"Exposing him is one option," Nanao said viciously.

Lisa shrugged. "It wouldn't do any good. Anyone with half a brain knows what he is anyway. As long as he isn't molesting noble girls everyone is willing to look the other way."

"That's sick," Nanao said frustrated. There was nothing more she'd like to do than send an exploding kido directly into that man's balls and then watch him bleed out. In fact, she just might.

"That's life," Lisa said with a shrug. "Just be thankful you got away before he got his hands on you."

It was then that Nanao received the second shock of the evening as another man went up to Abe and started speaking to him. She recognized the girl on the man's arm instantly even with the small domino mask obscuring some of her features. "Kiyoko," she breathed.

"Hayashi Kiyoko," Lisa agreed glancing at her with surprise. "And one of her brothers. I think there are six in all. You know her? You'll want to stay as far away from the brothers as you can."

"Yes, I know her," Nanao said feeling a little sick as she always did when she saw the pregnant girl. She should have remembered the girl was coming home to Apulia to visit her family. "What's wrong with her brothers?"

"Eh, just rumors really," Lisa said shrugging, "but probably true ones considering the company they keep. The family worked their way into a lot of debt and started slipping in the ranks. Then all of a sudden four high-born noble girls get knocked up by the brothers and have to marry them to save the family honor so on and so on. It was lucky the girls came with enough money to dig the Hayashis out of their debt."

"So what?" Nanao asked frowning. "They seduced them on purpose?"

"Well that's where the nasty rumors set in," Lisa said. "Supposedly the brothers were drugging the women at parties and raping them in the hopes that the women would get knocked up and have to marry them to save their reputations, thus bringing with them their family's prestige and riches. One girl said she didn't remember a thing from the night and killed herself before she was forced to marry one of them. Needless to say nobody leaves an open glass near a Hayashi anymore. Unless you're poor, then you're probably safe. Latest rumors are the sister just did the same thing to some idiot noble from another territory who didn't know any better. Might be true seeing how she's as big as a beach ball."

Nanao felt like she was going to pass out or throw up. She wasn't sure which. Maybe both. "You can't rape a man," she said softly.

"Sure you can," Lisa said with a shrug. "Specially a dizzy drugged up one. It isn't like it takes much to get them aroused in the first place. Not everyone needs love for physical reactions," she mocked with a laugh. "Rub them the right way and jump on top and you're good to go, though I don't imagine it'd be much fun with them looped up on alcohol or drugs. Or you just do it the other way and get them to sleep with you willingly and sabotage the contraceptive. That's my vote for how she did it. I mean she's cute enough. Or hell, she could have started something and then threatened to claim rape or some other blackmail if the guy didn't comply because really who are you going to believe was doing the raping?"

"I think it was the drugs," Nanao said sickly.

"Oh? Why do you say that?" Lisa asked looking at her curiously.

"Because Shunsui says he doesn't remember anything," Nanao said quietly. There was a brief moment of silence and then Lisa burst out laughing.

"Shunsui is the idiot who got her knocked up?" Lisa asked while she tried to regain her breath. "I always knew the moron would have something like that happen to him one day. And he's marrying her? Oh kami, his family must be over the moon and he must be ready to rip his own hair out. Don't tell me that's why the two of you aren't together anymore."

"Of course it's the reason," Nanao said defensively wanting to slap the woman for laughing. "And it isn't funny."

"Sure it is," Lisa said smiling. "Not my fault you take everything so seriously. Just because you have a stick up your ass doesn't mean the rest of the world has to have one too."

"He got another woman pregnant while he was dating me," Nanao growled.

"Yeah, apparently under the influence," Lisa said waving a hand at the group.

"It doesn't change anything," Nanao said sharply, "She's still pregnant."

"Does he love her?" Lisa asked.

"No," Nanao replied.

"So he still loves you?"

"He claims to," Nanao said coldly and then sighed. "And I believe him."

"And you broke it off with him purely because of this incident and not because of anything in your own relationship?"

"Yes," Nanao answered hesitantly, wondering where this was going.

"Then what is the problem?" Lisa asked. "Tell him to dump the broad and be together if that's what you want. This is my whole issue with getting sex mixed up with emotion. It's idiotic."

"There's a baby," Nanao spat out.

"Again, so what? He can take care of the kid without being married to a Hayashi," Lisa said with a shudder. "Unless you have something against the kid?"

"Of course not," Nanao said. "It's that he betrayed me."

"You said yourself you think he was drugged," Lisa reasoned. "Just make sure he doesn't get date raped again in the future and you should be fine." Then she burst into another round of laughter. "I still can't believe the bastard got date raped."

"It isn't funny," Nanao repeated.

"Oh man," Lisa said wiping tears from her eyes. "Shinji is going to love this one."

"You are utterly impossible," Nanao said fiercely. "I'm leaving right now."

"Oh come on," Lisa said grabbing her around the shoulders, "Have a drink and calm down. It's not like there is anything you can do about it now unless you are going to go punch her in the stomach."

"I'm definitely thinking about it," Nanao said darkly.

"Kami, only Shunsui could get himself into this type of situation," Lisa said grabbing a drink off a tray and shoving it into Nanao's hands. "Swallow that down you'll feel better. Really I have to give the girl some credit. I met her once and thought she was too much of a moron to be devious. I wonder if her brothers put her up to it?"

"The more I see of families, the less I ever want one of my own," Nanao said harshly downing the drink and glaring at the trio still talking in the garden.

"Now you sound like Shunsui," Lisa said with a laugh. "Being around the upper ranks will have that effect. They have so much money and time on their hands they can't think of anything better to do than screw around. Some of the best frustrated sex of my life was when Shunsui would come home from family visits. They set him off like nothing I could do, and trust me I tried."

Nanao shifted uncomfortably having had similar sex with him on a few occasions. For all Shunsui's conquests Nanao had never had personal relationships with any of them and had thus been spared conversation with anyone intimately familiar with him. As it was, she was not altogether enjoying knowing Lisa shared the same knowledge she did.

"It really was the best kind with him," Lisa mused handing Nanao another drink. She gulped it down quickly trying to ignore the conversation. "He generally tried to be so careful. I liked it better when he was rough. He'd always finish and storm away locking himself up in his study or going out and getting smashed. It was so much easier than when he was being needy. Does he still do that?"

"He never stormed out on me," Nanao answered quietly blushing all the same. In fact, he'd never left her after sex. Even at his most frustrated he usually just ended apologizing over and over into her skin, which was completely unnecessary since she could at least agree with Lisa that some of the rougher sex was fun. He did have the tendency to be too gentle with her at times.

"Wouldn't want to upset his Nanao-chan's delicate disposition, I suppose," Lisa said grinning. "Thank kami he didn't think of me as a weak damsel in distress. I suppose he rubs your back till you fall into a peaceful sleep every evening? Maybe he never even got rough with you for fear of you breaking?"

"Not only did I handle him just fine in those moods," Nanao said feeling her anger rise and the rapidly thrown back drinks loosen her tongue, "but he never left because we usually had multiple rounds. Ever think you just weren't doing the trick?"

Lisa flashed her a dangerous smile and laughed. "Now there's some of that steel he kept going on about. I wondered if you'd ever show it. From the way he talked about you those couple days after the fight with Aizen you'd have thought you were a little hellcat. I just couldn't see it no matter how hard I squinted. For a while there I was sure we'd utterly failed you."

"He talked about me to you?" Nanao asked stupidly. She'd been so mad at him for such a long while after the war that she hadn't even contemplated what he and Lisa might have shared while she was giving him the cold shoulder.

"Incessantly," Lisa said rolling her eyes. "It was always Nanao-chan this, and Nanao-chan that. He was also upset because you were ignoring him. When I found out he wasn't even sleeping with you at the time, it made me a little nauseated. I let you stay in our division because I thought you actually had the potential to grow up to be something, not because I thought he'd take a shine to you."

"I think I liked you better when you just taught me kido spells and read to me," Nanao commented nastily, reaching for another drink as a waiter passed by.

"And I think I liked you better when you were cute and hung on my every word," Lisa said grinning and stared back down at the crowd. "Oh the things I could teach you now that I don't have to play nice," she continued. "In fact I could teach you them with Shunsui at the same time if you'd like. We could make those hentai manga look like children's books."

"Regardless of me having no interest in a threesome," Nanao said dryly. "I no longer have any interest in crawling into his bed."

"Liar," Lisa said easily. "I've seen the man. You'd have to not have a pulse to have no interest in crawling into his bed. And once you've experienced what he can do to you when he gets you bent over a table there is just no going back."

Nanao shuddered at the thought and tried to think of other things. She was most definitely not remembering the time he'd pinned her over the arm of his couch and had his way with her. She'd been sure the neighbors heard her screaming his name that time. He'd often offered to do the same over her office desk and she'd always been hard pressed to refuse him.

"Um hmm," Lisa hummed. "I see that face. You know what I'm talking about. I could show you all sorts of fun variations. In fact, I'd be willing to make the trip back to the Seireitei with you if you'd be up for it. I'm sure we could convince Shunsui."

"I'm not going to participate in anything where I have to see him have sex with another woman," Nanao said sharply.

"Still a jealous lover when you aren't even together?" Lisa asked raising an eyebrow and Nanao realized she'd let the woman goad her into admitting more than she wanted to. "Really you should look on the bright side. Let him marry the cow and let her shoulder the boring noble responsibilities. You just keep banging him and having all the fun."

"As much as I appreciate the advice, you can stop now," Nanao said shaking her head and glaring back over at the blonde woman who was waddling her way through the crowd below them on the arm of the slimy man who'd twice tried to own her. She felt the rage bubble up in her again and wanted nothing more than to kido blast them all into oblivion.

"When it comes down to it," Lisa said suddenly serious sounding. "You know he'd never have left you if you'd been raped. Even if there was a child."

Nanao's head snapped up and she stared at Lisa in surprise. "I didn't know it was against his will until right now," she defended.

"Well now you do know and you still don't sound like you're going back to him," Lisa said.

"What do you care?" Nanao asked bitingly.

"He was my Taicho and a friend," Lisa said with a shrug. "He was one of the few people that could look past a surface and see the worth within. He was also one of the only people who could forgive quite as much as he did. I wasn't the girl for him and we both knew it, doesn't mean I like to see him heartbroken. Especially not over something so stupid."

"It's more complicated than that," Nanao said with a sigh.

"It really isn't," Lisa countered. "Just get a nanny and you never have to go near the child. Unless you're worried about your kids being the rightful heir to the Kyouraku name and not some bastard child."

Nanao made a face at her and accepted the new drink Lisa pressed into her hands. "I don't care at all about his family name."

"Then there is no problem."

"He slept with another woman, and we don't have any actual proof that she drugged him, just some nasty rumors," Nanao said solidly. "His history of conquests doesn't exactly speak in his favor."

"Shunsui has many faults, but being a cheater is not among them and you know that. He's too honest. One of the only reasons he could tolerate my bluntness. He'd rather that than lies and backstabbing. If he was done with you he simply would have said and then found a new woman, but fine believe whatever you want. I don't want to spend the rest of the night arguing with you. Now, I think the best way to handle this is to go out and get laid by other men," Yadomaru suggested breezily.

Nanao glared over at her and said, "Sarcasm is really unnecessary."

"Who said anything about sarcasm?" Lisa asked laughing. "You have a valid point that we have no proof to support the rumors. So time to move on. You obviously don't want him back. Finish that drink and we are going to the dance floor."

"Absolutely not," Nanao said looking mortified. A few drinks in and she was still not drunk enough for dancing.

"So instead you're going to stand here and be a big mopey mess all night?" Lisa asked with a snort.

"I am not moping," Nanao argued.

"Denial too," Lisa said. "Fine stay here, see what I care." She started to move off through the crowd and Nanao realized how alone she would be in the mass of people. Hollows she could take, parties freaked her out. She darted after Lisa and found her waiting at the top of the stairs for her. "I thought so," Lisa said. "Chug the last of that, have another, and lets do this."

* * *

Nanao woke up feeling awful. She rolled over and realized she'd been sleeping on her arm making the entire thing numb from the elbow down. She shifted around onto her side and groaned. This had to be the worst hangover ever.

A hand landed on her hip and she froze. It was a rather large hand. She opened her eyes and saw that there was a man lying in front of her. She really didn't start to panic though until she realized that the hand on her hip did not belong to the man in front of her. Rolling over slightly she tried not to freak out as she found herself sandwiched between two men in nothing but her undergarments. What the hell had happened? The last thing she remembered was dancing with Lisa and then talking to some men that had come up to ask them to dance.

Kicking herself into action she carefully slid the hand off her waist and wiggled to the end of the bed trying not to wake either man up. Standing carefully she paused for sore muscles and not finding any could only hope that things hadn't gone too far. Where had Yadomaru gotten off to? Nanao looked herself over quickly and besides a rather large bruise up the outside of her left thigh and butt, seemed to be all in one piece. The door creaked open and Nanao instantly took a defensive stance.

"Oh, you're awake," Lisa said calmly holding two cups of tea.

"What the hell happened?" Nanao demanded in a hissing whisper as her head throbbed.

"You are a lot more fun when you're drunk," Lisa explained with a shrug.

"Who the hell are they?" Nanao said gesturing to the bed and feeling herself blush bright red.

"Couldn't say," Lisa answered. "Good looking though, nicely done."

"I didn't," Nanao said sharply and then realized she really wasn't sure what she had and hadn't done.

"I don't know that I totally approve of your tattoo choices though," Lisa said sipping her tea after setting down the one Nanao refused to take.

"My what?" Nanao squeaked.

"Tattoo," Lisa said calmly. "I mean repressed much? Really his name in a bird of paradise flower? And so large on your shoulder."

Nanao reached up in horror to touch the edge of a bandage on her upper right shoulder blade. "Oh kami," she said feeling her legs go weak and sitting on the floor. What had she done?

"Why do you look so upset?" Lisa asked.

"Why do I look upset?" Nanao demanded about ready to cry. "I can't remember anything past the dance floor last night, I wake up with two strangers, kami knows what I did with them, and I have a tattoo that I would have never gotten sober. I didn't even think I drank that much! I've never been blackout in my life."

"Hmmm, well you'll just have to take responsibility," Lisa said. "You did use a contraceptive last night right? I called after you to remind you, but I wasn't sure you heard me. Otherwise we probably need to get to a healer today."

Nanao just made a whimpering noise and hugged her knees. What the hell had happened? She wanted to throw up. "I didn't mean to," she said pathetically.

"Now you sound like Shunsui," Lisa said with a laugh.

Nanao's head snapped up at the thought and sputtered anxiously, "I must have been drugged. I only remember having four drinks." She stood up and turned murderously on the two men still passed out in the bed. "This is all their fault." Kido crackled around her fingertips and Lisa stalled her hand.

"Even if you were drugged isn't it your responsibility?" Lisa asked tempering the kido.

"Of course not," Nanao spat harshly. "There was nothing I could do."

"Interesting double standard," Lisa commented lightly releasing her hand. "Nothing you could do, yet Shunsui should have been able to stop it."

Nanao felt some of the anger go out of her at that thought. "We don't know he was drugged," she repeated petulantly, still watching the men like a hawk for any sign of waking.

"But if he was, you still aren't going to forgive him," Lisa commented sitting in the lone chair in the room.

"I," Nanao started and then didn't know what to say. Of course she would forgive him. It just didn't mean she would date him again. When had that happened? Wasn't the only reason they weren't together the woman and the baby? "I'd forgive him," she said quietly.

"But," Lisa prompted watching her closely.

"But I wouldn't go back to him," Nanao admitted in defeat. Lisa nodded and they both turned as one of the men rolled over in the bed. Nanao had a kido shot ready to go and Lisa laughed.

"Oh don't kill them," she said smiling. "They haven't done anything wrong. I'm the one that slipped the drugs in your drink."

"You what?" Nanao demanded.

"I drugged you. Figured it'd be a good experience for you, knock you off some moral high ground," Lisa said with a shrug. "Besides you obviously had no clue what you wanted. I figured it might help you sort some shit out. Also I was just curious what you'd be like."

"You drugged me, let me get some awful tattoo, and let two men have their way with me?" Nanao asked in a dangerously cool tone. She was going to kill her mentor, and if she wasn't strong enough she was going to tell Shunsui what happened and let him kill her mentor. She figured this was the one instance where he might break his rule about fighting women.

"Eh," Lisa said shrugging. "I was lying about the tattoo, just wanted to see your face. You really fell down some steps and bruised your ass and scratched up your shoulder. The patch is from a first aid kit the inn had and it's just an injury. As for the men, you were fun for a little while, think you may have kissed the one on the right, and then you started laughing about something, curled up in a ball on the floor, and fell asleep. I handled both of them, but when I woke up this morning you looked so cold on the floor I figured I might as well put you in the bed to keep you warm."

"You were just screwing with my head this whole time?" Nanao asked clenching her jaw. "And what kind of person has date rape drugs on them?"

"It wasn't a date rape drug. Just an ordinary upper I had on me, and I figured it would mess you up pretty good combined with the alcohol," Lisa admitted easily. "You had some baggage to work out. That and it was just plain fun."

"That is severely twisted," Nanao said anger lacing her tone.

"You're so uptight," Lisa said shrugging. "It's a wonder you and Shunsui ever happened at all."

"You don't know anything about us," Nanao hissed. "We weren't _us_ when you knew us."

"I know Shunsui," Lisa said with a shrug. "And right now, its quite obvious you can't stand at his side as you are."

Nanao felt her stomach drop and tried not to show it. For all that she was finding out she didn't like the woman it was still hard to hear a childhood hero say she just wasn't good enough. "I'm leaving," Nanao said sharply starting the search for her dress.

"Oh don't take it the wrong way," Lisa said calmly. "You're a child and he's an overprotective idiot. How in the world did you ever have any hopes of matching up to him?"

"I'm not as weak as everyone thinks," Nanao snarled.

"Ise," Lisa said with a sigh. "Do you know why you won't go back to him?"

"I," Nanao started and then felt some of the anger dissipate. "Something changed."

"You figured out what everyone else must have known from the start," Lisa commented sipping her tea. "You weren't a match for him. Shunsui and I might not have been in love, but we were a match. Perhaps not in strength but in spirit. You two, on the other hand, were neither a match in strength nor spirit, you were just in love."

"And love isn't enough," Nanao said sadly remembering having said exactly that to Shunsui.

"No," Lisa agreed. "It's not. If you go back to him now you'll be the same pet, the same sidekick, the same Nanao-chan you've always been. That's what Shunsui never understood about people. It's that sometimes you have to let the ones you love go to let them return again. He was always so desperately afraid of loosing the few people he actually took the time to care for that he couldn't see he forced them into a corner, smothered any strength they might have had. You have to be a match for him not to be put in that safety box he tries to shove you in. You never had a chance. What could you do as a child to avoid it? And now, now you can't find what you need to find within yourself while at his side, and he'll never understand that. But you're starting to aren't you?"

"He didn't mean any harm by it," Nanao said quietly.

"He never does," Lisa granted. "But me and Ukitake we met him on level with him. He learned to care about us when we could already take care of ourselves. You were different. He met you when he still thought he could cocoon you away from all the hurt in the universe. Nothing will change unless you change first."

"And then what?" Nanao asked. "Go back to him? Is that what you're saying?"

"Nanao-chan, once you've grown up some you might not even want to go back to him," Lisa said with a sigh. "Either way its about you, not him, at least not anymore."

"Why? Why do all this?" Nanao asked.

"Because I think you can be something more than what he made you," Lisa said sighing. "After all, you were my project first Nanao-chan, and I'd have never allowed things to turn out like this. You gotta kick the baby bird out of the nest at some point. I'd have done it ages ago."

"Heartwarming," Nanao said sarcastically snatching up her dress, which she finally found under a chair, and dragging it violently over her head. She strapped her zanpakutou back on and felt instantly more at ease.

"Kinder than Tanaka would have been I assume," Lisa said with a shrug.

"The Higurashi will be wondering where I am," Nanao said coolly as she slipped on her shoes. She winced as they resettled on blisters she'd apparently formed the night before. This is why she hated heels.

"Of course," Lisa said nodding calmly. "Nice seeing you again." Nanao snorted and started towards the door. "Oh, and Nanao?"

"Yes?" Nanao asked pausing and wanting nothing more than to be far away from her old mentor.

"I'll visit sometime," Lisa said glancing over at her. "Hurry and grow up. I've always been fascinated to see what you'd be capable of."

"I doubt very much you'd like what I can do," Nanao said lightly thinking of her own recent training.

Lisa made a small humming noise. "I always knew you'd could be something fun if you tried."

Nanao marched out of the room without another word. She even restrained herself from slamming the door before starting to shunpo away. Kami, this was the first time she was grateful her mentor hadn't stayed with the 8th. She didn't think she would have enjoyed all the mind games the woman obviously took great pleasure from. No wonder her and Kyouraku got along so well. Game playing was their forte and sex was their chosen reward. Nanao was suddenly very happy she hadn't been old enough to understand their relationship. Lisa was right, they might not have been in love, but at least they'd been evenly matched.

"Out late Shinigami-chan?" Kei asked as she entered the inn the Higurashi were staying at fifteen minutes later. She shot him a glare, but otherwise continued towards her room. "And returning in the same clothes this morning? I have to admit I really didn't peg you as quite this promiscuous. That Taicho really was holding you back after all."

"Go die," Nanao said disdainfully.

Kei just chuckled. "I do hope you didn't get into too much trouble."

The comment reminded Nanao of why she'd gotten into this whole mess to begin with. Really she should have never followed those yakuza men. She stalked over to Kei making a great show of her anger in case anyone else was around to see. Then she poked him hard in the chest to make it look like she was cursing him and hissed, "I'd be wary of the Yamaguchi brothers. They've taken an interest in Mamoru-nii."

Kei's dangerously offended expression morphed quickly into an angered one to cover his look of surprise. He captured her hand and bore down on it enough to make her wince. To anyone looking on it probably looked like he was chastising her for daring to touch him. In a dangerously low voice he said, "Today's the last day. We'll watch them."

Nanao nodded sharply and ripped her hand out of his hold glaring at him. "Understood," she growled out loudly for show before spinning on her heel and stomping away. At least now the Higurashi would have some warning if anything did happen and her brother would be protected. Meanwhile she was going to take a long hot shower and try to erase the past few hours from her mind.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for typos, I only had time to read through once. Reviews please!**


	38. Homecoming

Nanao breathed a sigh of relief as they rode into the Higurashi compound three days later. The rest of the meeting had gone off without a hitch and the Yamaguchi brothers had never raised a threat. Another "kumicho" for the Higurashi would be chosen soon and her brother would slide back into a safer position, which made Nanao more than happy. She was saddle weary and dusty from the road and wanted nothing more than to pick up Boo and take a warm shower before settling in for the night. Hopefully Rangiku wouldn't want to spend too much time chatting.

She made sure her horse was seen to before making hasty goodbyes and shunpoing back to the Seireitei. The trip had been useful and given her an inside look into workings of the Yakuza, but she would have been more than happy to have the trip be a few days shorter. Nanao knocked on Rangiku's door and hoped she was home. When there was no response she sent her reiatsu searching for her and found Matsumoto out in the 1st district. Nanao pressed her reiatsu against the other woman's in a friendly touch to let her know she'd returned and then headed on to her apartment. Boo would survive a few more hours at Ran's.

Nanao had managed to drop her things and take a nice shower before she heard what she could only assume was Rangiku pounding on her door. She'd kept her reiatsu shielded besides reaching out to her friend because she'd really just wanted one extra day before dealing with everything else.

"Coming," she called as she wrapped her robe up tighter and made her way to the door. It was good to be home.

"Nanao-chan," Rangiku grinned, "Welcome home."

"Thanks," Nanao said accepting the carrier and various items, quickly releasing Boo into the apartment. He instantly curled around her legs and she scooped him up to cuddle. "Thank you for looking after him, Rangiku. It was really very nice of you. Hopefully he didn't cause to much trouble?"

"No problem at all," the woman said following her into the apartment.

Nanao took in Rangiku's appearance and raised an eyebrow. "Hot date tonight?"

"You like?" Rangiku asked twirling to give her the full view. The light blue dress clung in all the right ways, not that there was really a wrong way on Matsumoto.

"You look amazing," Nanao agreed smiling and curling up on the couch with Boo. "Who's the lucky man?"

"No man," Rangiku answered grinning and then quickly had it turn into a frown. "Don't tell me your forgot?"

"Forgot what?" Nanao asked, too tired to play a guessing game.

"The SWA dance, silly," Rangiku said rolling her eyes. "We've only been planning it for months."

"Oh," Nanao said surprised. "Once Hana-san took over most of the planning, it just sort of went out of my head. Is that tonight?"

"Yes its tonight, and why aren't you dressed yet?"

"Ugh, no way I'm going," Nanao said shaking her head. "I didn't want to do it in the first place and now I'm exhausted from traveling. You'll have to tell me all about it tomorrow." Not to mention she had no interest in attending a party at the Kyouraku estates. She should have known Rangiku would never let it go that easily.

"So you'd rather stay here and discuss the night of your birthday then?" Rangiku asked innocently taking a seat next to her on the couch.

Nanao's head snapped up to meet Rangiku's eyes and saw that some of the playfulness had gone out of her. "He told you."

"No, but he was looking for you and it wasn't that hard to put two and two together," Rangiku sighed. "Why'd you do it?"

"It wasn't really a rational thought, Ran," Nanao answered letting her head fall back along the couch. "It just happened. He was being sweet, it was a dismal birthday, and I missed him."

"So are you planning on telling Shuuhei-kun? Because if you don't I will. He's my friend too, you know."

"I'm going to tell him," Nanao said frowning. "I didn't mean for it to happen."

"No time like the present," Rangiku said. "So get dressed."

Nanao groaned. "I do not want to go to the stupid dance," she said as Rangiku started hauling her to her feet.

"Well I do want you to, and after all the crap you've put me in the middle of I get what I want," Rangiku said simply. "No more hiding. Deal with your mess so we can get back to having fun and I don't have to keep wondering what kind of person my friend is becoming."

"I don't have a dress," Nanao protested as Rangiku pulled her into the bedroom.

"What about that?" Rangiku asked pointing at the red dress she'd worn for the festival and lain out on the bed as she was unpacking her bag.

"I can't wear that," Nanao argued horrified. It was one thing wearing that dress when she didn't know anyone well, but it was quite another showing that much skin in the company of people she'd known since she was a little kid. Nanao also always favored more muted colors when she did have to dress up. It drew less attention.

"Oh come on, it's perfect," Ran said picking it up. "In fact, I'm shocked you own it. What _did_ you do during your trip?"

"There was a masquerade," Nanao said sharply. "And they made me go." She pulled the fabric out of Matsumoto's hands and headed towards the bathroom. Nanao knew a losing battle when she entered it, and fighting with Rangiku over this particular point was going to get her nowhere. "I hate you," she called over her shoulder just for good measure.

* * *

Nanao felt her stomach start to jump as they came closer to the Kyouraku family home. The place was lit up and the sounds of the dance already moved through the warm night air. This was pretty much the last place she wanted to be, and she was including Hueco Mundo in that thought.

"Cheer up," Rangiku said happily at her side. "It could be worse."

"How?" Nanao asked watching her feet as they picked their way down the path in heels. She'd tried to put on flats, but Rangiku hadn't allowed it.

"Well, you could have been dating Kenpachi and then slept with Kyouraku," Rangiku offered. "It'd have been a blood bath. Although who's blood I'm not sure. At least Hisagi-kun isn't likely to try and kill anyone."

"Great," Nanao said with a snort as they made it to the front entrance. The Kyourakus stood at the door greeting guests as they came in and Nanao felt her heart beat overtime when she made eye contact with Shunsui. Of course he'd feel her reiatsu right away.

"Nanao-san and Matsumoto-san, yes?" his mother welcomed uncertainly. Nanao pulled away from Shunsui's hurt gaze and gave his mother a slight bow.

"Good evening Kyouraku-dono," Nanao greeted as Rangiku nodded an affirmative.

"Lovely to see you, Nanao-san," Hana said kindly. "We weren't sure if you'd make it tonight."

"Yes, well Rangiku-san does make sure I get out now and again," Nanao said with a forced smile.

"What a pretty dress," Kiyoko chimed in and Nanao fought the urge to growl as she noticed the petite woman at Shunsui's side. "Is it Apulian? It looks it."

"Actually yes," Nanao answered. "I was just there on business."

"Oh! Were you there for all the festivities?" Kiyoko asked her eyes lighting up. "Isn't the city just wonderful? I keep trying to convince Shunsui-san that he should visit with me."

"Yes, you really should visit, Kyouraku-san," Nanao agreed scathingly never looking away from Kiyoko. "But just remember to always watch your drink. I heard terrible rumors while I was there."

"What sort of rumors?" Kiyoko asked looking as innocent as ever. Not even a flinch. Either the girl was a good liar or she truly had no idea what Nanao was referencing.

"Just that certain people would take advantage of you given the opportunity," Nanao said neutrally glancing over at Shunsui. He was scrutinizing her trying to get at her meaning and she gave a soft shrug.

"That's awful," Kiyoko said looking shocked. "You must have been talking to the wrong sort of people. Apulia is a wonderful place. Next time you visit I shall have to show you around."

"I think I saw everything I needed to see," Nanao said in a clipped tone. "I believe we're holding up the line." The Kyouraku's glanced at the group of guest starting to amass behind the two women and quickly ran through the rest of their greetings ushering them inside.

As she swept passed them a firm hand grasped her arm. "What was that all about?" Shunsui asked quietly.

"Maybe something, maybe nothing," Nanao said glancing at the pregnant woman as she greeted a couple coming up to the door. "You have guests to attend to."

"You promised we'd talk after work," Shunsui said with a bitter edge to the tone.

"And we will," she sighed, "But now is not the time."

"Before this night is over," he said.

"Fine, now let me go," she answered. He did as she asked and she slipped back in behind Rangiku.

"See, that wasn't so bad," Rangiku said. Nanao just rolled her eyes. "What was the stuff about watching your drink?"

"Just generally good advice," Nanao said evasively. Luckily they'd both entered the garden by this point and Rangiku was at a loss for words. Nanao remembered the first time she'd seen their gardens done up for a party and knew the feeling. Say what you would about Kyouraku Hana, the woman had an eye for decorating.

"It's beautiful," Rangiku said happily.

"Now what?" Nanao asked already bored. She hated these things to begin with and when they'd planned it she'd at least been comforted with the thought that she'd have Shunsui with her and wouldn't have to spend the night standing around the drinks table like she had so often before.

"Now, obviously, we find good looking men and dance," Rangiku said happily going into full party mode.

"Joy," Nanao grumbled remembering her most recent experience with dancing. She hated parties. She lost track of Rangiku in a record 5 minutes and found herself hovering near the drinks table as usual.

Nanao was quickly doing calculations of when she could sneak out of the dance without anyone being the wiser when she felt a tap on her shoulder. She felt her stomach drop as she turned slowly dreading finding Hisagi or Shunsui behind her.

"Ambassador Ise," Kuchiki greeted politely. "How was your mission?"

"Kuchiki Tachio," she answered with a polite half bow. "It went well enough, although I missed our training sessions."

"Good." He gave her a brief nod and then asked, "Care to dance?"

"Oh," Nanao said startled. "I'm not very good."

"I have my doubts that you could be in the 8th for as long as you were and not know how," Kuchiki said lightly.

"I know how," Nanao corrected. Kuchiki was of course correct. Her Taicho had even forced her to work dancing lessons into the division's budget sporadically over the years by arguing it would help with their sword fighting footwork, but that didn't mean she'd enjoyed it. Dancing with Shunsui was one thing. Dancing with clumsy recruits was quite another and most of her time had been spent trying to help soldiers pass their classes. "I just don't often participate if I can help it."

"I promise I won't step on your toes," Kuchiki said solemnly and it actually pulled a small laugh out of her. "And I am assuming you are one of the few females here who won't step on mine in return."

"If you insist," Nanao said with a small smile before taking his hand and following him out on to the dance floor. Kuchiki was as graceful on the dance floor as he was on the battlefield, and Nanao had to expend very little energy to follow along. She could hear the whispers starting up around them, but as Kuchiki paid it no heed she let it pass.

"I must admit I am surprised you attended," Kuchiki said conversationally.

"Matsumoto-san insisted," Nanao admitted. "It would also look bad if the vice-president of the SWA didn't attend her own events," she added as an afterthought.

"Rukia-san made it quite clear I would not be easily forgiven if I did not at the very least make an appearance," Kuchiki commented spinning her out and then back into him.

"How long does an appearance generally last?" Nanao asked with a small snort.

"Two or three dances," he replied seriously. "You are number one."

"Ah," Nanao said hardly able to hide her smile at the man's precise formula. It wasn't like she hadn't used something similar over the years with 8th division parties. "And who are the other two lucky ladies who will leave without their feet being stepped on?"

"Hana-san," Kuchiki answered after a pause. "After all it would be rude not to ask the host to a dance, and perhaps my sister, although her dancing skills do leave something to be desired."

Nanao glanced over at Rukia who was currently being swung around the dance floor by Abari and grinned. Neither seemed to know what they were doing, but they were having a lot of fun all the same. "The Kyouraku's invited many of the nobility. Wouldn't one of those ladies love a chance to dance with you?"

"I have found over the years that many of those ladies presume a dance means something more," Kuchiki said with a soft shrug as he maneuvered them away from another couple. "It is not worth the time and energy it takes to persuade them otherwise. I'd rather have Rukia-san break one or two of my toes."

"You should let Rukia-san have her fun," Nanao chastised. "Why not ask Unohana Taicho to dance? I'm sure she's very graceful and won't get the wrong idea."

"Perhaps you are right," Kuchiki said glancing over at his kid sister again. "Although it does waste a perfectly good opportunity to once again remind Abari he will never be a man worthy of a Kuchiki."

"Oh, let them have tonight," Nanao said. "I'm sure Abari will screw things up all on his own. Men can generally be counted on for that."

"You wound me," he said gravely as he sent her into another twirl.

"I did say generally," she answered with a shrug.

"I would say women are equally prone to failure," he countered.

"Fine then," Nanao said thinking over her own recent failings. "One of them is sure to screw it up, with or without your intervention."

"Unfortunately Rukia-san has a very forgiving heart," he replied.

"Then let her become a fukutaicho and she'll simply have no time for romance, at least for a while," Nanao said.

"Still on that, I see," he said stonily.

"She'd do well at the 8th if you can't allow the 13th," Nanao said simply. She saw the small frown appear on Kuchiki's face and she quickly added, "I know you have very little tolerance for Kyouraku Taicho, but I'm sure there is one thing we can agree on. He is protective of his subordinates to a fault. She'd mainly be buried under paperwork and I don't think even Kyouraku Taicho is dumb enough to flirt with your baby sister too aggressively. It takes a special kind of stupid to do that."

"And if she were promoted, Ukitake-san would no longer have reason to resist having a fukutaicho, I believe is what you are thinking," he said as the song started to come to an end. "Manipulation does not work well on me."

"I admit to all of the above," Nanao said smiling softly. "No manipulation just simple truths. If we are being blunt, it'd really just be best if you let Ukitake-san promote her."

"You are still protecting them despite everything," he said calmly.

"Yes," she said as they came to a stop with the song. "Despite certain failings they are good men, just as I like to imagine I would be forgiven some of my own mistakes."

"He does not deserve you," Kuchiki said simply.

"I am less than you think I am," Nanao said sadly, starting to fully internalize how far she'd fallen from grace. Relationships did make everything messier. Maybe she'd been right secluding herself all those years.

"Thank you for the dance Ambassador Ise," he said politely.

"No, thank you," she said returning his bow. "I wish you luck in your next two dances."

Kuchiki nodded and swept off the dance floor leaving Nanao to pick her way back to the drinks table while whispers followed at her back. Let them think what they wanted. No wonder the poor man had never remarried. Being the center of attention was terrible.

"Nanao-chan," she heard the warm voice before the arms wrapped around her waist, "I wasn't sure you would come, and now by coming late I see I've missed the first dance with you. I'm so sorry."

She tensed up in Hisagi's arms and wondered how she had forgotten the horrors this night was going to bring. "Hisagi-san," she greeted formally working her way subtly out of his arms. "I just returned and Rangiku-san of course made me come."

"Well, I'm happy that she did," he said grinning at her and breaking her heart a little further. "I've missed you."

Nanao wondered if she would have missed him had the night of her birthday not happened. She didn't think she really would have which was a miserable thing to admit to herself. Her only thoughts of him had been worried guilty ones over the last week. He leaned in for a kiss and she grabbed his hand and turned away. "We should talk."

"That's never good," he said letting the joviality drop out of his tone.

"Come on, well go to the gardens. They really are lovely this time of year," Nanao said dropping even his hand. She felt awful, but she wasn't sure of another way to do this. She'd never had to tell someone she'd cheated on them before, and she didn't know a better way than just getting it over with quickly.

"Nanao, what's this about?" he asked when they were barely away from the party.

She'd picked a path that lead to the bridge and the small pond she'd discovered so long ago as a child. The one she'd first met Seichii on. Kami, when had so much of her history become a part of the Kyouraku family's history? "Hisagi-san," she started and then paused. "You are such a nice guy."

"Oh man, what'd I do wrong?" he asked with a sigh.

"No, that's not what I meant," she tried again.

"This is the start of the old 'it's not you it's me speech' isn't it?" Hisagi asked. "Meanwhile that always means it is actually you."

"It isn't," she said shaking her head fiercely.

"Was I too needy or something?" Hisagi asked visibly upset.

"No, Hisagi-san," Nanao argued. "It really wasn't you."

"Or you thought I drank too much?" he asked and then seemed to think about it. "Well, I guess that one couldn't be it."

"I slept with Shunsui-san," she blurted out and it felt terrible and wonderful to say all at once.

"Obviously, you guys were together for a long time," Hisagi said confused and then looked enlightened. "If you think I thought you're a virgin, I -"

"No," she interrupted. "I slept with Shunsui on my birthday. I left the bar, and he was at my apartment, and we didn't mean for it to happen, but it just, it just did."

Hisagi was silent for a moment as he processed the new information. "Oh," he said finally. Nanao stood waiting for some other response and got nothing but the sound of the party carried on the wind for a few moments. "It was never anything more than a rebound for you was it?"

"Hisagi-san, I didn't mean for it to be," Nanao admitted quietly. "You really are a wonderful guy and it was all my fault. I just, I've never been through something like that before and I wasn't thinking straight."

"So you didn't think it might be wise if you, I don't know, broke up with me before you went back to him?" Hisagi asked the anger rising in his tone.

"It wasn't a planned out thing," Nanao said. "It was an accident and I'm not going back to him, but I didn't want to lie to you or say there weren't still feelings there."

"Great, thanks, much appreciated," he said sarcastically turning to go.

She caught his arm and he shrugged her hand off but didn't storm away. "I know it doesn't mean much, but I really am sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. I'd really like to be friends one day."

Hisagi let out a small disbelieving laugh. "I think we both have enough friends Ise-san. Enjoy the dance." Then he marched stiffly away.

She couldn't say she blamed him really, but it still hurt. And what right did she have to be hurting anyway? She was the one that had messed it all up. He should hate her. Kami, all she wanted to do was go home and not come out for a good long time. Instead she walked the rest of the way to the bridge and stood in the middle looking out over the water wishing she could go back and warn her younger self of all the things she would screw up in the future.

"Hisagi-san did not look happy," commented the last voice she wanted to hear right now.

"Well I doubt you'd be dancing with joy if your girlfriend just told you she'd slept with another man," Nanao replied coldly.

"You could have just broken up with him," Kyouraku said stepping on to the bridge. "I wouldn't have told him."

"I'm not a liar," she said sharply. "I made a mistake. I'm not going to skirt around it."

"A mistake," he said stopping next to her. "Is that what it was?"

"Yes, Shunsui," she said confidently. "It was a mistake. What were we thinking? Nothing has changed."

"Then why break up with the boy at all?" he demanded.

"I couldn't very well not tell him anything," Nanao said sharply.

"Did you even ask him to forgive you? Try to work it out?"

Nanao sighed. "No."

"Nanao, I'm asking you to forgive me then," he said quietly. "I'm sorry what happened happened, even if I don't remember it, but the woman means nothing to me. I'm sorry there is a child, but I swear if you'll only let me I'll make you happy and the child is innocent."

The little speech reminded Nanao of her own newly gained information. "About that," she started awkwardly. "I ran into Yadomaru-san in Apulia."

He looked confused by the sudden change of topic, but never one to be thrown for long simply frowned and said, "How is Lisa-chan?"

"Well enough," Nanao said shrugging and trying not to show how upset the woman had made her.

"What'd she do?" he asked narrowing his eyes. Of course, he would notice.

Nanao sighed again and answered, "She wasn't the most pleasant person I've ever run into. Was she always that way and I just didn't notice?"

"What'd she do?" he asked again.

"She was just rather rude and aggressive," Nanao said trying to explain without telling the whole story.

"I was worried she'd not be kind if you two met again," he admitted with a groan.

"And why was that?" Nanao asked surprised. "What did I do to piss her off?"

"It wasn't anything you did," he sighed. "She was rather irked at the way everything had turned out with you when she was here after the Winter War. Said I'd ruined you with too much kindness. I believe she thought you should be further along on the power scale than you were and she especially didn't care for my interest in you. I don't think you turned out the way she expected."

"You didn't ruin me," Nanao defended. "I'd have been tougher if she'd remained in the 8th, that's true, but I don't know that I would have appreciated her brand of tough love."

"What exactly did she do?"

"It doesn't matter," Nanao said not wanting to start yet another long conversation. "Nothing that will damage me for life. She is however occasionally taking jobs from the local yakuza which has made her privy to the local gossip."

"Does this have to do with what you were saying earlier at the gate?"

Nanao nodded and continued, "Apparently the Hayashi family has quite the family history. Fell into a bit of financial trouble and the way the brothers in the family fixed their fortune was by slipping drugs in noble women's drinks and raping them in the hopes they'd get pregnant. Then if they did, allowing society norms to do the work for them. The girls were forced to marry the brothers to maintain their family's honor and their fortunes came along with them. Latest rumor has it the youngest sister in the family just pulled the same stunt on a foreigner who didn't know to watch his drink around the family."

She felt his reiatsu crackle like lightning and she put a hand on his arm to stop him from marching back to the party. "Of course this is all hearsay."

"Except that it explains everything," he growled. "Why I don't remember, why I would even do that. I knew I didn't drink that much. I've had several hundred years to learn my limits."

"Just because it's the convenient answer does not make it the truth," she admonished. "Beyond that we don't know if Kiyoko-san had anything to do with it. For all we know it could have been her brother's manipulating her too. Drugging you and then suggesting she go check on you, all the while knowing their little sister was in love with you."

"Does it matter?" he asked. "Either way it wasn't by my choice."

"And either way the child is still yours," Nanao sighed. "Are you just going to send them away if you find out its true? I don't think you have that in you to do to the baby."

"So what if I don't?" he asked incredulously. "Are you trying to say you can't forgive me, can't be with me if I still see fit to care for the child?"

"Shunsui," she started and then stopped. She wasn't sure how to go about the conversation they had to have. "You've never lied to me, joked, avoided, and told half truths yes, but never flat out lied about something big. If you say you don't remember then the only thing I can believe is that you were drugged like the rumors say and it wasn't your fault. In which case there is nothing to forgive."

He reached for her and she put up a hand to stop him. "This isn't about Kiyoko-san anymore. I don't care that there's a baby. Its just about you and me." She paused and tried to think of a better way to say what she was about to say. "I can't be with you."

"Why not?" he asked looking more amused than angry. She'd seen that look before, the one that said he'd already won, that they could argue about it for as long as they like, but in the end he'd convince her to see things his way.

"Because I don't want to be," she said and that wiped the smile right off his face.

"What is that supposed to mean?" he asked. "The only reason we weren't together was Kiyoko-san."

"Yes at the start," Nanao admitted.

"But something changed?" he asked looking upset now. "What? You fell for someone else?"

"No," Nanao said hating that she couldn't articulate what she was feeling. "Nothing like that. It was just me, I changed."

"I like Nanao-chan no matter what," he said smiling again and touching her cheek. "I doubt you changed enough for that to be altered."

Nanao sighed, this was going to take another tactic, "Then if that's true, ok," she said and was pulled into him before she could blink. His warm lips coaxing hers into reciprocating. She wasn't going to lie. It wasn't likes she didn't enjoy being in his embrace and kissing him. She did, she loved it, it made her want to give into anything he desired, and that was the problem. He could turn her into a pet without even meaning to. "Now what?" she asked when he stopped for air.

"I have a few ideas," he said with a grin.

"And then what, Shunsui?" she asked calmly ignoring the innuendo. "How do you see our lives going?"

He laughed and said, "You want a plan? How about this then, we wait till the party is over and then we have a long talk with my family and Kiyoko-san. I'll support her and the child if that's what it takes, but she's moving out. Then we pick up where we left off."

"So I'll move in," Nanao said and watched his grin of delight. "And then we'll get married. And I'll come back to the 8th and be your fukutaicho again, and we'll have children and live happily ever after?"

"Exactly," he said touching his forehead to hers.

"I don't want it, Shunsui," she said quietly and he pulled back like he'd been pinched.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't want that life anymore," she said unable to meet his eyes. "I don't want to go backwards. I don't want to be your fukutaicho. I love my new job."

"Then you'll keep the new one," he said with a shrug, "I don't care."

"And you'll be fine when I go on missions you can't come on, when I get in dangerous situations you can't save me from, when I spend time in place you can't locate me in," she said softly.

"Sure," he answered quickly.

"Shunsui, I'm serious," she said slipping completely from his arms.

"Whatever Nanao-chan wants," he answered smiling.

"I know you better than that," she sighed. "You're just thinking you'll agree now and figure it out later to get it the way you want things. You'll either convince me to come back to the 8th or simply go to the Soutaicho and make it an order, or if you really want to humor me you'll just have the Soutaicho put restrictions on my current job that will keep me safe. I'm tired of doing paperwork, Shunsui, and I'm tired of hiding behind you."

"Nanao," he started but she cut him off.

"We both know how this will work. And I'm sorry it has to be this way, but it does. I've been in your care since I was a kid and its time for me to grow up. I can't do it with you constantly holding my hand. I thought I could, but all of this has made me realize I can't. I've got to figure this part of me out on my own Shunsui. I love you, I do, but I just have to be without you looking over my shoulder. I've missed you since all this happened. I missed our friendship and I missed what we had, but I haven't missed your overprotectiveness or sitting in an office making schedule changes. I don't miss always being one step behind you. If I'm going to be with you I want to stand at your side not at your back."

"We'll work it out," he said seriously. "I'll try harder."

"No," she said simply. "You won't be able to help yourself until you believe I'm really capable of handling myself, and you won't be able to believe that until I know it. And that's been it all along, hasn't it? I've got to prove it to myself first."

"I know you're capable, but that doesn't mean there aren't things out there that are stronger than you. That could do you harm. You can't blame me for trying to protect you from that."

"I don't," she said. "We could go around in circles about this all night, but it will still be the same. I don't want to be in a relationship with you right now."

"So what now? I'm supposed to stand back and watch you get beat up and date half the Seireitei?" he demanded. "That's supposed to make things better between us."

"You know me better than that," she seethed. "I won't make that mistake again, hurting Hisagi-san was more than enough, but if I did want to get into melee fights and sleep with the entire population of the Seireitei then yes, I expect you to back off. You don't own me, Shunsui and if that's what you are looking for out of a relationship you might as well just stay with Kiyoko-san. I'm sure she'd be more than happy to play your damsel in distress."

"That isn't," he started to argue.

"You had hundreds of years," she said quietly cutting him off. "Hundreds of years to figure out who you are without me. I've had barely any time to do the same."

"I like who I am_ with _you better," he said seriously meeting her eyes.

She gave him a weak smile. "Don't you want to give me the time I need to come to the same conclusion?"

He moved forward and kissed her and she responded in kind, for once not just giving in, but instead indulging in it knowing it would probably be the last time in a very long time that she'd be able to. When they broke apart they were both silent for a long moment.

"I think this is the wrong choice," he said sighing.

"I know you do," she answered, "But it's my choice, not yours. And besides, you have plenty to work out without having to deal with me too. I should go."

"Nanao-chan," he said softly. "I can't promise you I'll leave you alone."

"You wouldn't be you if you could," she said touching his cheek.

"I love you," he stated simply. She kissed him one last time and told him goodbye before shunpoing away and over the garden wall. There was nothing left to say and no longer any reason for her to stay. Landing neatly on the other side she decided to walk. Maybe it would at least let her get some of her jumbled thoughts together.

She knew she'd done what was right, what was necessary, but it still didn't make her feel much better about the whole situation. She couldn't help wondering if Kiyoko had never come if she would have woken up one day in the future and wondered what had become of her life, or if she never would have noticed anything amiss and been happy to just be. However it could have been, it didn't change how it was now.

Maybe if she hadn't been so caught up in her own thoughts she would have heard them coming and been able to do something about it, but then again they were fast and quiet in their own right. Nanao felt two sharp radiating spots of pain as the creature's jaws sank into the juncture between her throat and shoulder, and then everything went dark.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the delay! I've been interviewing for new jobs and life has been hectic. Seems like some people hated Lisa and some people liked her. I just always felt like she wouldn't be happy with Nanao being seemingly weaker than the other fukutaichos or being held back in the Winter War. She always struck me as a tough love kind of woman. Anyway as always I love hearing your thoughts!**


	39. Spiders

"Idiots," she heard a voice hiss as she started to regain consciousness. "You got the wrong one."

"You told us to grab Kyouraku's whore," another voice responded angrily. "She was with Kyouraku and it looked like they were together." Nanao tried to move and discovered she was tightly restrained. Trying not to groan she blinked her eyes open cautiously and found herself in a dimly lit cave. Three vaguely humanoid creatures argued in front of her.

"I also said the whore was pregnant," the first voice growled. "Does this woman look pregnant to you?"

The third one grunted and muttered, "How can you even tell? They all look the same."

"They blow up like a bloated carcass," the first one, who was obviously giving the orders, yelled. "It isn't that hard to differentiate. And which one of you blundering morons thought it was a good idea to bite and poison her? If it really had been the right woman it could have made her lose the baby."

"You said to subdue her."

"So knock her over the head or something, don't bite her. It's the baby that really matters after all."

Nanao tried to wriggle again and finally looked down to assess her restraints only to find herself in some sort of cocoon from the shoulders down. This couldn't be good.

"Awake, human?" the leader asked moving towards her. As it got closer Nanao could make out more of it's features and she felt bile rise in the back of the throat. What she'd at first mistaken for somewhat human from a distance and standing still didn't look even close as it moved towards her. The creature's body, completely nude, was dark brown and covered entirely in fine hairs. It's arms would have been normal if it hadn't been for it having six of them all ending in claw like fingers, but the most disturbing part was the six eyes that blinked independently from each other. Well that is if you didn't count the dripping pinchers that protruded from the corners of its mouth.

"Yokai," she breathed.

"See? Even the human has more deductive reasoning than the two of you put together," the creature said crouching in front of her in a distinctly unnatural way. If this was the most human form it could take on she did not want to see it in its true yokai form. She could only assume it was a type of spider demon.

"What do you want with me?" she asked trying to struggle again.

"Nothing," the creature said cocking its head to the side and blinking at her with four of its eyes. "Unfortunately my associates aren't too bright and grabbed the wrong woman."

"What do you want with Kyouraku's woman?" she demanded trying to keep it talking while she tried to find a weak spot in the cocoon.

"We were offered good hunting grounds in return for snatching her," the creature said simply. "Seems she's the key to something our employer wants."

Nanao felt sick. Of course the Kyouraku family had told Kiyoko the dangers if she was carrying a boy, that the baby would be the key to the dimensional gate the Spirit King had entrusted to the Kyouraku family, but how did someone else find out? Kiyoko wouldn't really have been stupid enough to spread it around, would have she? "So you can let me go then," Nanao said knowing it was futile but figuring she'd give it a try.

"Sadly," the creature said caressing her cheek with two of its left hands, "you've become a liability my dear. But don't worry. Your death won't be in vain," it said gesturing to the cave around them. "After all, the children are always so hungry when they are first hatched."

Nanao realized for the first time that the cave walls weren't glistening from moisture, but from hundreds of eggs the size of her head. Just when she thought the day couldn't get any worse.

"Stay with her," the leader snapped at one of its lackeys. "Just make sure to get out before the children hatch or they'll take you too. You, come with me. We have a woman to capture. If you want things done right and all that."

Nanao breathed a sigh of relief to have the creature moving away from her, but it was short lived as an egg near her gave a little shiver. She really did not want to die by being eaten alive by baby spider yokai, but things were not looking good right now. Her head was spinning and her body aching from whatever venom was in their bite and the restraints didn't allow her even a hair's breadth of room.

She glanced over at the thing left to watch her and noticed it had already crept up the wall and seemed to be sleeping. Not that she knew what a sleeping spider looked like. Deciding to take her chances, as there wasn't much other choice, she lit a kido fire in her hand hoping to burn through the restraints. Nanao held back a small cry and let the spell go out instantly. Kido didn't normal burn its wielder, but that was when it was in the open air. Enclosed like her hand was there was no way for the heat to escape. Beyond that it seemed that her cocoon was made out of thin individual threads of silk that while melting rather easily landed flaming hot on her skin and stuck.

Nanao tried to struggle against the bonds again or move any part of her body and found it completely futile. If she was going to get out of this she was just going to have to tolerate the burns. Hoping to leave one hand usable she decided to work with her left, as it wasn't her sword hand. Biting down hard on her lip and trying not to whimper she set the kido blazing in her palm again. Tears sprung to her eyes and she tried her best to tolerate it as millions of little strands stuck and burned away over her flesh, the heat adding to the pain.

She wasn't sure when she blacked out again, but she woke to light seeping in through the cave front and her hand feeling like it was still on fire even though the kido must have gone out when she fainted from the pain. She noticed the creature was gone from its spot on the wall and felt the panic build. If the creature had left that meant there wasn't much time left.

Clenching her jaw and fighting back her scream she started the kido up again. She'd melted enough of it to at least give her hand and arm a tiny bit of room to move. She couldn't stop the sobbing whimpers the pain wrenched from her, but at least this time she remained conscious as her hand burned free of its bonds. The charred flesh that emerged from the cocoon casing hardly even registered as her own hand for a moment. She took a second to rest and then started burning more of the cocoon away from her now that she could burn around herself with her free hand instead of frying herself further. It didn't matter much though as she couldn't quite imagine being in more agony. Even the kido whip her father's men had taken to her hadn't hurt this badly.

She dragged herself from the sloppy melting remnants of the cocoon a short time later and instantly got her sword in hand as the eggs around her started shivering more consistently. Stumbling in the direction of the light she kept her eyes peeled for the creature left on watch while her hand throbbed in pain.

She found the thing crouched over another cocoon making wet chewing noises and she tried hard not to see what exactly it was eating. Instead she gave Kage the silent command for shikai and set off a kido in the creature's head splattering its flesh across the cave walls. It was then that she heard the skittering noises behind her. Turning she choked on another scream as huge baby spider yokais started gathering in the gloom of the cave. Backing up as the creatures swarmed forward she tried not to gag as they spilled over the body of the yokai she'd just killed and ripped off flesh in small bloody chunks. Shunpoing for the entrance she didn't pause to see if they were following her. She had to get to the Seireitei and she had to warn Shunsui. Those things were coming for him.

It took her a few minutes to sort out her location, but they were high enough up on a hillside that when she climbed up a bit she could make out the Sereitei a couple dozen districts away. Doing her best to place a numbing spell on her destroyed hand she started bolting for home. The toxins in her blood made her feel like she was going to vomit at any moment, but she just pushed harder for the Sereitei wall. There would be a nice warm bed in the 4th waiting for her if she could only make it in time.

Twenty minutes later she was panting at the gate and spotted a familiar head up ahead of her.

"Jyuushiro," she yelled, too exhausted to be polite.

He turned and looked at her in surprise and then was at her side in one quick flash step. "Nanao-san, what happened?"

"Where's Shunsui?" she demanded trying to stay on her feet.

"He stayed at his family's, said there was something they needed to discuss. He said he'd come back this morning," Jyuushiro answered wrapping an arm around her waist to support her and frowning at the sticky strands still clinging to her red dress and skin. Then the frown turned to shock and he reached for her left arm. "Nanao what happened to your hand?"

Nanao pulled free of his supporting arms and turned back towards the gate. Not looking back she flew into another headlong shunpo in the direction of Kyouraku family estate. She could only hope Shunsui had overslept and was still home, but usually he was quick to wake and leave his family's house. She scoured the road as she flew down it and finally noticed a couple walking up ahead. Assuming he might have Kiyoko with him it would make sense he wasn't using shunpo. She touched down in front of them just as a creature reared up behind them from its hiding place next to a boulder on the side of the road. There was no longer anything humanoid about it.

"Nanao-chan?" Kyouraku asked confused.

"Move!" she shouted, her right hand already glowing with kido flame. He didn't question it. They'd worked together long enough to trust one another in that respect. He simply jerked Kiyoko to the side and she let the blast slam the creature back. She moved to their side as the creature shook off the hit and started moving again with an angry yowl. She turned to face it and noticed movement from the other direction out of the corner of her eye. A second and a third creature were coming out of their hiding spots and she knew there wouldn't be time to defend all sides. Kiyoko had wrapped herself tightly around Kyouraku in her panic and was making it terribly hard for him to get to his swords without have to physically shove her off which Nanao doubted he'd be able to bring himself to do to a pregnant woman. He was more likely to take a hit than possibly cause the woman harm even if he wasn't fond of her.

Suddenly a flash of white moved into the way and Ukitake had cut off the attack of the creatures on their other side. Nanao brought her focus back to the creature lunging at her directly and slammed another kido into it. The thing screamed and rolled. The creature was tough, but not invincible. She threw a halen at the joints of its legs and watched it take a few stumbling steps on the remaining four legs before it fell hard in the dust before her. One quick shunpo and her blade through the back of its head ended the creature's life. Spinning around she was just in time to see Ukitake dispatch one of the other spider yokai. The third was nowhere to be seen.

"It had to be spiders," Ukitake said with disgust in his tone as he looked at the splattered blood along his blade. "I hate spiders."

"What were those things?" Kiyoko wailed sobbing into Kyouraku's shoulder.

"You should know," Nanao bit out viciously. "Who did you tell?"

"What?" the woman cried cowering away from Nanao and further into Kyouraku.

"Who did you tell about the baby? About the youngest of the youngest? Who did you tell?" Nanao demanded.

"They were after the baby?" Shunsui asked, stiffly allowing the woman to cling to him.

"They were looking for Kyouraku's pregnant woman," Nanao said, "And they said it was the baby that was important."

"How did you get involved?" Ukitake asked.

"They got us mixed up," Nanao explained. "They saw me with Shunsui and thought I was Kiyoko-san. Bit me and knocked me out when I left the party last night."

"And your hand?" Ukitake asked.

Nanao nearly growled at him when she saw Shunsui's focus switch to her burned hand and the worry that passed over his features. "Had to burn my way out of a cocoon before their children ate me." Saying it out loud made her realize something else. "Oh kami, the baby yokai. They're ravenous."

"And?" Ukitake asked as Shunsui tried to get a closer look at her burned skin.

"Can you help them back to the Seireitei?" Nanao asked Ukitake panic welling up inside her.

"Of course," Ukitake said looking surprised. "But what are you doing?"

"They'll be headed for the Rukongai to eat," Nanao shouted as she bolted away for the third time that morning.

She heard Shunsui call after her, but she didn't have time to wait or explain. If those yokai were headed for he Rukongai they would kill hundreds of defenseless souls. Nanao sent her reiatsu searching for her brother's and sent a distress signal as soon as she found him. Hopefully he would understand and gather some people together and head her way.

* * *

"I'm going after her," Shunsui said trying to peel the crying woman off of him.

"She won't appreciate it," Jyuushiro sighed. "Beyond that you have bigger problems right now."

"I don't care," he answered sharply. Last night had not been fun. Most of it had consisted of Kiyoko wailing and denying any knowledge of a drugged drink. His family, while furious if it was true, hardly wanted to believe him. Much of his father's ranting had consisted of yelling at him for once again trying to shirk responsibility. He'd agreed to take Kiyoko home and help her get her stuff to move back in with his parents, but was still infuriated they wouldn't believe him. Not that he should have expected any better. "She's going to need help with those yokai."

"She can handle it or she would have asked for help," Jyuushiro said accepting the sobbing woman from him.

"Have you met Nanao?" Shunsui asked with a snort.

"They aren't going to hurt the baby are they?" Kiyoko asked wetly.

"Shun," Jyuushiro said nodding his head to her.

Shunsui sighed. Nanao was right. Despite how much he currently hated the woman, he couldn't do the same to the child. "We're not going to let them hurt the baby," he placated. "Besides Retsu-san thought it was a girl the other day when we went in so that makes her technically useless to them. We'll just have to get the word out."

"Please, don't let them hurt the baby," the woman mumbled and then burst into a fresh round of tears. Kami, he hated seeing women cry. Shunsui picked her up into a cradle hold and nodded to his friend.

"Shunpo?"

"Seems best," Jyuushiro agreed. "Stop worrying about Nanao-san. How bad could baby yokai be?"

* * *

They were following a train of blood a half hour later and that was about all the baby yokai left in their wake. Nanao felt her stomach give a heave when she noticed a piece of finger near a shrub the beasts must have missed. At least the blood was fresher and they were getting close.

"Hold up," Mamoru said motioning for the group to stop.

"What are we waiting for?" Nanao demanded.

"We hit the territory line," Mamoru admitted sheepishly. "That's Watanabe family lands."

"So what?" Nanao asked glancing at the men with them.

"We can't cross into their territory lacking express consent without starting a war," Mamoru sighed.

"So we're just going to let these things keep killing?" Nanao asked outraged. "Because of some invisible line?"

"They aren't our problem anymore," one man offered. "It ain't our people that they're killing now. It's Watanabe's problem."

"How do we get consent?" Nanao asked sharply.

"It'd take days," Mamoru answered.

"So we go in and ask for forgiveness later," she said.

"Nao, we can't."

"Well I can," she said darkly. "I'm not Higurashi, I'm shinigami and I can go wherever I damn please."

"You can't take these things on alone," Mamoru said grabbing for her arm. "You're already injured."

"You haven't left me with much of a choice," she argued and stepped around his reaching hand.

"At least call the shinigami for back up," he said.

"No time," she answered and started moving again. She got a few meters out before she felt her brother move back up to her side. She glanced at him in question.

"I sent the rest back to get in touch with the Watanabe and put out a warning," he said pacing her. "If we get in trouble the Higurashi can just punish me to avoid a family dispute."

"What will that cost you?" she asked seriously.

"Not my life," he said with a shrug.

"Kei-san won't be please you chose me over them," she said simply.

"I'm avenging the deaths of citizens within the Higurashi territories we've pledged to protect," he said calmly. "At least that's the way I plan to play it. Besides, Kei-san isn't an idiot, he already knows our loyalties lie with each other just as much as they do with our respective work families." There was silence for a few moments before he added, "Speaking of, how'd it go with Kyouraku-san?"

"We're hunting deadly spider yokai and you want to know how it went with my ex?" Nanao asked incredulously.

"Seemed like a better conversation than asking whether or not you'd noticed that finger joint back there," he said unapologetically.

"As well as could be expected," Nanao said with a shrug as they tried to determine which route the baby yokai had taken. So far they seemed to travel in a pack, which wasn't great for their victims, but at least made them easy to follow.

"So you two are getting back together then?"

Nanao made a face at him and they both moved off to the right. "We aren't back together. I still have things to do and he needs to learn to be," she trailed off trying to think of the right words.

"How to be less of a father and more of a lover?" her brother supplied.

"Gross," Nanao said glaring at him.

"Come on," Mamoru said holding up his hands in a gesture of defense. "It's kind of true."

"You do realize we were sleeping together, right?" Nanao asked noting another drop of blood on the trail. At least they were still headed the right way. "I hardly think he saw me as a daughter."

"Still doesn't mean he didn't treat you like a kid in day to day life," Mamoru said with a shrug.

"Just don't put it that way," Nanao said. "It's creepy."

"You're the one that decided to date an old guy," Mamoru laughed.

"You really are as bad as a girl," Nanao chastised. "And he's not old."

"He is too," Mamoru replied grinning. "Don't lie about that."

"Men mature slower than women," Nanao answered stiffly.

"At least that particular man does," Mamoru agreed with a snort.

"He can be serious when he wants to be," Nanao sighed. "He just doesn't often want to be."

"Nao-chan you don't have to defend him. The moment you said you slept with him again I'd pretty much figured out I was screwed," he said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" she asked sharply.

"It means you're in love with the idiot and the idiot would do anything for you," Mamoru answered. "I'm going to have the moron in my life whether I want to or not."

Nanao was quiet a few minutes as they continued tracking. "Do you really dislike him that much? I thought you both were getting along better before, you know."

"Oh, Nao-chan," Mamoru said nudging her with his shoulder. "I'm just giving you a hard time. I've told you before, if he makes you happy I'll tolerate him."

"I don't want you just to tolerate him," Nanao said finally meeting his eyes. "Its always bothered me. If you don't like him, then there is something I'm not seeing."

"I like him just fine," Mamoru said with a small laugh. "If I'd met him at a random bar we probably would have been good friends. What I don't like is him dating, corrupting, or hurting my baby sister, and you have to admit he's done all three."

"I am not corrupted," she said with a huff.

"Oh yeah? What's the pile driver position?" he asked seriously.

Nanao turned bright red and glanced away from him. "What does that have to do with anything? Rangiku-san could have taught me that just as easily as Shunsui-san."

"But she didn't, did she?" Mamoru answered laughing as they started to reach the top of the hill they were walking up.

"It's not like he asked to try it. We were just discussing positions," Nanao said simply.

"More than I ever needed or wanted to know!" Mamoru said throwing up his hands and Nanao laughed although it died on her tongue a moment later as they crested the hill.

"Oh, oh no," was all she could get out as she started shunpoing down the other side.

What lay below them was a swarm of baby spider yokai. From the blood and bits of humans still intact it seemed the mass of them had come along a group of children. Most of the yokai were still feasting, but a small group had broken off chasing after the two survivors who were running for their lives. Nanao shunpoed over the large group, knowing there was no one left to save underneath the swarm, and landed in between the fleeing children and the on coming monsters. The kids at least had enough Rukongai sense to keep on running. Nanao yelled after them to warn whoever was further up the road. One yokai lunged at her and she incinerated it with a high level kido. Apparently the babies weren't as tough as the adults. The rest of the small pack chasing the children skittered to a halt in front of her. A moment later Mamoru was at her side.

"Tell me you can do that to all of them," Mamoru said next to her.

Nanao did a quick scan of the entire swarm's numbers and took stock of her still aching head and screaming damaged hand. "No, I highly doubt I can," she answered honestly. He'd already pulled his sword, but she didn't plan to use Kage till then end. She'd been foolish recently and really didn't need anyone catching on to what her sword's ability actually was.

"Great," he muttered watching the small group in front of them as they hissed and seemed to be trying to decide what to do. It was obvious the yokai babies hadn't met any resistance so far during their feast.

"We should take these ones out," Nanao said. "The rest of the swarm will be done soon, and then the sheer numbers are going to be overwhelming. We'll have to attack and retreat and do it in bursts."

The group in front of them had obviously decided Nanao was a one hit wonder and on some unidentified signal started towards them again. Mamoru sheathed his sword and the two siblings started firing off kido rapidly. "We're attracting attention," Mamoru said nodding towards the larger group as they started falling back along the path as they attacked. They'd taken out the first line of monsters that had been chasing the children, but the swarm had obviously finished their current meal.

"It'd be best if we could split them up. Thin them out a bit," Nanao said reading her next kido attacks for the onslaught.

"And how do you propose we do that with just the two of us?" Mamoru asked.

"How many do you think you can handle on your own at once?" she asked thinking quickly as she fired off her current spell at a lead yokai.

"I don't know," he said. "Maybe a half dozen at once?"

"Fine, do it," she answered concentrating on a shielding box spell. It'd be weak spread over so many, but at least it would space out the attacks. The kido spell slammed down over the majority of the group and she instantly felt the strain as the spider yokai trapped inside started throwing themselves bodily at the shield walls. At least a dozen had escaped the trap.

Mamoru blasted off kido on the loose yokai as they stumbled back and Nanao tried to maintain a hold on the spell. Two of the creatures slipped passed his kido onslaught and Mamoru had to draw his sword to dispatch them. "How's that working?"

"Not well," Nanao growled out, feeling the swarm beat against her shielding. "We're going to have to come up with another plan."

"We need to fall back, Nanao," he said surveying the scene in front of them. "It's a game of numbers and they simply have too many."

"Shit," Nanao muttered as she felt hairline fractures creep through her spell. "If we can get up the next hill we'll at least have the higher ground advantage."

"Let's do it," Mamoru said and they both slipped into a shunpo up the next hill. As Nanao released her hold on the ever-dwindling spell, the spider yokai rolled out in a wave as they'd been climbing on top of one another within the confines of the kido box to rage against the shielding wall.

"I might be able to mix a shielding spell with an offensive fire spell and create a circle of flame around them," Nanao said squinty her eyes down at the hoard and wondering if she could make one large enough. "Then pull it in tighter and tighter and burn them all at the center."

"Have you ever done it before?" Mamoru asked looking at her in surprise.

"No, but it should work in theory," she said already sorting through spells in her mind as the yokais righted themselves and started advancing on the hill.

"Are you insane?" Mamoru asked focusing on her. "Mixing spells is dangerous and difficult enough on its own. Doing it on the fly with no practice or forethought is suicide."

"I wasn't made a fukutaicho just because Kyouraku Taicho liked me, brother dear," she said dryly already lining up the spells she wanted and tweaking the incantations as fast as she could without degrading the integrity of the spells themselves. The very natures of the spells she wanted to use were contradictory, one solid and constant, one swift and temperamental. It was like trying to mix oil and water, it just wouldn't work unless the proper bonding agent was added. She thought of the correct third spell to add to the twisting power in her mind and brought them together.

Fire erupted in a circle amongst the raging swarm. It wasn't nearly as large as she'd hoped to get and it flickered and sputtered but held in the end. She started tightening her hold on the circle of light and drawing it closer and closer to its center forcing the spider yokai trapped within it to try and skitter back and climb over each other to get away. Nanao closed her fist and the circle slammed shut in one solid column of fire before going out and leaving one perfectly charred circle on the ground.

"There's still too many," Mamoru said next to her. She glanced over at him and saw him appraising her with his eyes.

"I'm not sure I'll be able to make the ring any bigger," she admitted shaking her head.

"We're going to have to start doing this the old fashioned way," her brother said with a grimace as he set his feet and brandished his sword at the first group of yokai squirming over the remains of their charred brethren.

"We can't fight this number alone," Nanao said slipping Kage into her hands. She was going to hold off on her shikai for as long as possible. She wasn't even sure she'd be able to use it effectively in this situation. There were so many she wasn't convinced she'd be able to take them out all in one attack and that attack would leave her incredibly weak if she didn't black out completely. She couldn't be a hindrance to Mamoru by working at power levels above her ability right now. There were more yokai than when she'd attacked the hollows with her shikai, and she'd barely managed to pull that off. Plus she'd been in top form at the time which was not nearly the case now.

If you'd practiced, Kage hissed in her mind.

Too late for that now, she thought back. The best thing to do at this point was rely on her regular kido and her blade for the ones that managed to get too close. The first surge of yokai swarmed them and all thoughts left her mind besides the next spell, the next foot fall, and the next swing of her zanpaktou. Trained muscles responded to her call and her body fell into the deadly dance she'd been learning since she was a child.

It wasn't enough. It quickly became clear that they were being overwhelmed. She felt one yokai hit her back and turned only to see Mamoru expertly slice it off her with his sword. Nanao slammed a kido attack up and into the next monster.

"We have to fall back," Mamoru yelled over the shrieks and hisses of the yokai around them.

"I'm going to clear a path, watch my back," Nanao said spinning around and focusing a concentrated blast of kido through the yokai that had been trying to box them in. She and Mamoru shot through the opening and shunpoed out, stopping a good distance off from the swarm.

"Damn, they're fast," Mamoru said panting and watching as the yokai started towards them again. "We aren't going to be able to keep this up. We need backup."

"How long will that take?" Nanao demanded.

"A while," he said crossly, "but there isn't any point in getting ourselves killed.

"Mamoru you saw what they do," she argued. "There's a village down the road. I saw it from the top of the hill. The yokai will massacre them."

"Yes and they'll do the exact same thing if we get ourselves killed here," Mamoru said. "It will be for nothing."

"We can't just give up," Nanao said desperately even though she didn't see many other options either. "I told those children to warn them, but we have to give them time to flee."

"One more stand, Nao, to slow them down," he said glancing back up the hill they'd just bolted down. "Then we open up a path and fall back. We need more numbers."

"Agreed," she said and prepared for the next assault. Once again she slipped into the dance though she felt her kido waning. Kage was brought up in defense more and more. Suddenly she felt one of the yokai slam bodily into the back of her legs and drive her down to her knees. She struggled to untangle herself from the creature and get back to her feet, but another yokai sprung again at her back and she had to twist and roll to avoid it. A creature flew at her face and she whipped her zanpaktou up driving it through the side of the spider's head and snapping the blade loose again. Fangs sunk into her thigh and she let out a cry of pain as she simultaneously threw a blazing kido at the yokai's eyes. Suddenly she was overrun as she fired kido and tried to stagger back to her feet. The baby's venom obviously wasn't as potent as the adult yokai, but she could feel a burning numbness spreading through her leg. Nanao dimly heard Mamoru calling for her as she crashed her blade down through another skull. There were far too many and they'd come on faster than she'd thought they would. They'd obviously learned from the last attack. A yokai landed on her shoulder just as she managed to regain her feet and she brought her hand up too slow to fire a spell. The monster suddenly went up in a ball of flame and she turned to thank her brother only to find Kei near her striding into the melee.

"Took you long enough," Mamoru said making it to their side as yakuza men and women joined the fray. His sword arm hung limply at his side and Nanao could see the fang wounds in his arm.

"You know the Watanabe," Kei said with a shrug. "Had to observe all the formalities although my guess is they'll forgive your border crossing just this once." Kei casually raised his sword and decapitated two of the yokai that had made it passed the now solid defensive line.

"I felt your presence on the rise a solid minute ago," Mamoru said glaring. "What were you waiting for? A dramatic entrance?"

"Just curious to see if shinigami-chan would let loose again," he said grinning easily. "But once I saw your sword arm going I didn't think we could wait for the girl to show off."

"You left us in the center of that just to see what I would do?" Nanao hissed.

"Yes, darling," he replied easily. "You should be careful."

"Careful of what, you?" she demanded bitterly and then felt her bitten leg give out on her.

Kei laughed as he caught her smoothly. "Careful of that leg. The poison takes a little while to kick in fully."

"Get your scheming hands off of me," she demanded.

"Fine," he said letting her go, and she stubbornly tried to balance with her one good leg before Mamoru sighed and slipped his good arm around her for support.

"Can your people handle it from here?" Nanao asked coldly.

Kei glanced over at the battle and shrugged. "Anything can happen, but I would say so. Both the Watanabe and the Higurashi have more forces on their way. We know better than to depend on shinigami showing up in time."

"Then I need to get back to the Seireitei," she said ignoring the jibe. "There are still full grown versions of these on the loose."

Kei narrowed his eyes at her. "Are the adults coming this way too?"

"I don't think so," Nanao said shaking her head. "What they're after is already back in the Seireitei. You shouldn't have any more issues with them once you've managed this swarm. Mamoru has a communicator if you need to get a hold of me."

"We don't need your help shinigami-chan," he said with a snort of distaste.

"Do as you like," she said shrugging and too tired to fight. "I'm headed back."

"Will you be alright with your leg?" Mamoru asked with a frown.

"I'll kido brace it till the poison wears off," she said trying to move the numb ligament. "I'll manage."

"We could have Shin-san look at it," Kei offered off handedly.

"I'll have my own people look at it, thank you," she answered sharply.

"Aw, and here I was thinking you were trying so hard to be one of us, sweetheart," Kei said grinning.

"I have always been, and will always be, a shinigami," she growled. "That does not mean I cannot also be an ally. Frankly I would never want to be a part of an organization that would let innocent people die because of invisible territory lines."

"Because your precious shinigami rules don't ever allow for innocent people to die," Kei spat.

"Not if you were in the 8th division, you self-congratulatory ass," she shouted, and was surprised to find it was true. She'd often scolded her Taicho for bending rules, but he'd have never let a rule stop him from protecting a life. "You hate the Gotei 13 without having every interacted with more than a handful of shinigami looking for trouble in the Rukongai. You don't even try to understand us. At least I'm making an effort to understand all of you. We're people, and we're flawed, but we do the best we can just like your people. We're not all powerful. We can't be everywhere we're needed in the Rukongai, which is why I'm out here trying to make that better in the first place. We aren't enemies, but if you are too much of an ass to listen I will find someone who will. You aren't the only yakuza family in the Rukongai. I was just hoping you'd be some of the most open minded."

"Who's self-congratulatory?" Kei demanded. "You admit that it's the shinigami's fault these things are even here. You expect me to bend a knee and thank you for cleaning up the mess you created."

"It's not a shinigami issue," she said stonily. "They'd have come no matter what, but if we were what you think we are we'd have let them roll over the Rukongai with very little care as long as it wasn't our people."

"I hate to point this out, but you are the only shinigami out here," Kei said motioning to the yakuza men and women driving the beasts back.

"And that won't change if you don't let us help," she argued angrily. "Look, I obviously haven't changed your mind and I need to be getting back to the Seireitei. I'm sure we can take up this debate again next time."

"As you like, shinigami-chan," Kei said with a shrug and a frosty grin.

Nanao gave him a cold glare and turned as best she could with her numb leg. She launched herself into an awkward shunpo and hoped Kyouraku and Ukitake had made it back to the Seireitei without any problems.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the cliff hanger! Hopefully this lives up to expectations.**


	40. Gates

Two hours after returning to the Seireitei Nanao had given the 1st a full brief and was sitting on a bed in an exam room of the 4th. They'd already given her a dose of anti-venom and she could feel her leg tingling with renewed sensitivity. Nanao sighed and glanced down at her bandaged hand. That burn, from kidoing her way out of that cocoon, was really what had Isane most worried. She'd gone to look for a salve for Nanao to take home with her.

There was a tentative knock at the door and Nanao called out for them to enter, expecting a lower level member of the 4th. Instead Kyouraku entered the room hesitantly. It surprised Nanao because he wasn't a man who knocked. He'd barged into her exam rooms more times then she could count, often claiming he was trying to catch her in some state of undress when the wounds weren't serious and he was carefree enough to be cheerful.

"How are you?" he asked scanning the parts of her that the medical gown exposed. She'd honestly looked worse after battle. Beyond the bandaged hand, the wrapped up leg and the patch on her neck where she'd been bitten, the majority of her visible injuries were just scrapes and bruises.

"I'll be fine," she answered with a shrug. "The venom will wear off. They're mainly concerned about the burns on my hand. How's Kiyoko-san?"

Kyouraku frowned and sank down in a chair opposite the bed. "She's unharmed, although it took about an hour to get her to stop being hysterical and answer questions."

"She told someone about the Kyouraku legacy didn't she?" Nanao asked calmly.

"Yes," he answered with a sigh. "Apparently she told her family. So it's either them or someone they told. If the rumors you heard about that family are true, I wouldn't be surprised if they'd spread it around to seem important. We've sent messengers to Apulia trying to figure out who could have known, and who would have taken action on it."

"What an idiot," Nanao snarled, and if it came out bitterly she didn't even care. "Shouldn't you be with her in case of another attack?"

"She's at Kuchiki's," he said running a hand down his tired face. "Yama-jii thought she'd be safer there since it is already set up and staffed for defense."

Nanao snorted. "You mean they didn't think your house full of windows and unlocked doors was a good offensive point?" she asked with a laugh.

"Hey, I would have at least locked the doors," he said giving her a small grin. She'd yelled at him often about leaving everything totally open. Given no one in the Seireitei was stupid enough to enter a Taicho's home uninvited, although she'd taken advantage of it many times over the years to get him home when he was drunk or wake him up for early morning meetings. "She'll be more comfortable there anyway. She's used to having servants."

"What did you tell Kuchiki-san then?" she asked, wondering how they were going to keep this a secret anymore.

"He already knew about my family," Shunsui answered. "Most of the noble families do. Like I said it wasn't a well kept secret that the King was fooling around with my great great great grandmother."

"And there has never been an attack before?"

"Why would there be? The families that know about it are already noble in their own right. They have nothing to gain from it even if there is stockpile of treasure or an amazing weapon through the gate. Besides I told you, all the parties that have attempted to go through and retrieve whatever is hidden in that dimensional bubble have never returned. Why risk so much for so little? It doesn't matter anyway. We'll find out who is behind the attacks and end it. How was the fight in the Rukongai?"

"Fine, there was a bad moment, but the yakuza sent backup in time," she answered allowing him to change the subject. Nanao was honestly impressed he hadn't followed her out there earlier that day. He would have never let her fight that one on her own in the past. "I'm sure the Soutaicho gave you my brief though, considering it concerns you."

He nodded his assent and glanced at her hand. "What does the 4th say about your hand?"

"It'll probably scar quite a bit, but I shouldn't lose any function in it," she said with a frown. "It won't be pretty for a long while, if ever, though," she added.

"I should have escorted you home from the party," he grumbled, glaring at the bandages as if they'd done him some personal offense.

"And for a split second I thought you were being less overbearing," she snapped rolling her eyes.

"That injury is my responsibility, Nanao," he said just as sharply. He rarely used that tone and she glanced back over at him. "You wouldn't have even been in this mess if it weren't for me. You said yourself you wanted nothing to do with my family's problems anymore and yet here you are wounded because of them."

"It wasn't your fault," she argued.

"I should have never pursued you in the first place," he commented bleakly. "I knew all of my family's dirty laundry would affect you eventually."

"I still have one good hand that will work for slapping," she threatened glaring at him. "If I could go back in time I would have done everything the same, except I'd have gone to that stupid meeting of the territory heads with you and made sure you didn't get your drink spiked like an idiot."

"You told me last night you didn't want to be with me regardless of Kiyoko," he pointed out surprised.

"And I don't, not right now," Nanao said. "Not until I know I can stand on my own. Not until I can stand next to you without you having to protect me every step of the way. Have you even listened to me? I'm not something pretty to follow along behind you, and I won't have you berating yourself for every scar I ever get. I can look after myself. If all of this hadn't happened there would have been no way I could have stood in the fight against those yokai today. The training has helped. I'm better for having had to depend on myself. I deserve the right to improve and get stronger. If I could have done that by your side I would have, but I obviously couldn't."

"And after you do?" he asked cautiously. "If I can prove I'll back off, you'd consider being with me even despite the child? I can't abandon the baby."

"I wouldn't love you if you could," Nanao said with a small smile. "If we can work out everything else, the child is a non-issue. Besides if you already have a baby maybe your mother will leave me the hell alone."

"I doubt it," he snorted. "She's worried about the family legacy, but she's also old fashioned in that respect. I don't think my mother sees the point of dating and marrying if you aren't immediately going to start reproducing."

"A girl can dream," Nanao joked, glad they had drifted away from their age old fight.

There was another knock at the door and Isane let herself in. "Found it. Oh Kyouraku Taicho," she greeted. "I wasn't aware you were here." Isane glanced at Nanao cautiously as if seeking her approval on him being there.

"He came by to see how I was doing," Nanao said giving a small smile to alleviate the woman's fears.

"Right, well here is the salve. It'd really be best to apply three times a day and come in for daily doses of kido healing for the time being," Isane said handing the jar over for Nanao to take with her good hand. "We'll try to fight off as much scarring as possible."

"Great," Nanao said with a sigh. She had been spending too much time in the 4th as of late.

"I really do wish you could get someone to stay with you tonight," Isane said biting her lip nervously. "Just to make sure you don't have a bad reaction to the venom or the anti-venom."

"The other bite's effects wore off alright besides a nasty headache," Nanao said touching the bandage on her throat.

"Yes, but now you've been bitten twice and there is more toxin in your body," Isane said. "Maybe Matsumoto-san?"

"She's on a mission in the living world today," Kyouraku supplied. "Perhaps your brother?"

"He'll be dealing with the mess in the Rukongai," Nanao said. "Really I'll be fine."

"It might be better if you just stay here tonight," Isane suggested.

"I'm not staying here," Nanao argued. "I'm perfectly fine. I'll just stay at Kyouraku-san's house if you're that worried."

"You will?" Kyouraku asked surprised.

"Well, if it's alright with you," she said blushing as she realized she didn't really have the right to dictate whether or not she could stay there anymore. She'd never even thought that she might not be welcome. "I assume the guest room still exists?"

"Yes," he said hesitantly. "Kiyoko-san has her things in there though. We didn't have the chance to move it all back to my parent's this morning."

"Will she mind?" Nanao asked, suddenly realizing how awkward this was.

"No, its fine, as long as you don't mind," he answered quickly. "You're more than welcome to stay."

"It's settled then," Nanao said. She wondered belatedly if she should have asked him to stay at her place instead. It seemed cruel to put him out of his way and then make him sleep on her too small couch though, especially when they could both have beds at his house.

"Please make sure to bring her back if any of her injuries flare up," Isane said to Kyouraku. "And if you see any red or black lines radiating out from the site of the bites get her back to the 4th as fast as you can."

"Will do, Isane-chan," he agreed with his normal floppish smile. The healer excused herself and he glanced over at Nanao, losing the ridiculous expression. "We could stay at your house."

"And have you sleep on that small couch?" she asked. "No, it'll be fine. I do need to stop in and check on Boo though."

"You can have my bed and I'll sleep in the guest room," he said getting up to help her to her feet. She grimaced as she put weight on her leg and she could tell he was physically restraining himself from scooping her up and carrying her.

"Whatever is better for you," she said. "I really don't mind." She had to admit a small part of her was relieved not to have to sleep in a room that had been altered for Kiyoko.

* * *

It'd been a mistake to sleep in his bed, Nanao thought later that night as sleep evaded her. It smelled like him and when she closed her eyes she could only imagine him in the bed with her. It felt wrong to be there alone. Luckily she'd gotten a few hours of sleep on his couch when he'd gone out to pick up some food and check in at the Kuchiki household, but she'd been wide awake since she went to bed. She sighed and shifted on to her other side hoping her exhaustion would finally overcome her busy mind. She was just starting to doze off when she heard the knocking on the front door.

Nanao slipped her zanpaktou onto her arm and slid out of bed and into the hallway, exasperatedly pushing strands of her loose hair back behind her ears. She really needed to get it cut soon. The sounds of crying and harsh voices stopped her quiet steps around the corner from the entrance hall.

"I'm so sorry," a voice sobbed, and she could only assume it was Kiyoko's.

"It's fine," Kyouraku said and she felt the tension in his tone. His reiatsu found her's instantly and give it a harsh shove, warning her to stay back. She could understand his need to keep this conversation private, but she was surprised by the severity of the push. A simple touch would have done the trick. She wasn't going to be nosy and eavesdrop. She wasn't him after all. She turned on her heel ready to go back to bed when she heard the voice that made her skin crawl.

"Kyouraku-san, a pleasure to meet you," the man's voice said. There was no mistaking that one. It was the man Lisa-san had identified as Abe. The one who had tried to purchase her and who had been with Kiyoko's family at that party in Apulia.

"What do you have to do with this?" Kyouraku asked and Nanao could tell from his tone that he recognized the man as well. He'd always been great with faces and Nanao doubted there was any chance of him forgetting the face of the man who had tried to buy her, not even when they'd only seen each other from across the room at her father's party.

"Kiyoko-chan's brother told me such a wonderful story," Abe said smoothly. "I just had to see if it was true. Given he didn't know what was on the other side of the gate, but it must be something important for such a wealthy family like the Kyouraku's to guard it. That was what he thought anyway, and I would have to agree."

"I'm sorry, Kyouraku-san," Kiyoko broke in crying. "Abe-san has been friends with my family since before I was born. I didn't know. When he came to the house I just thought the messengers had made it to Apulia and he'd come to help so I let him in."

Nanao cursed under her breath. The girl really was a pretty little idiot, that or she was the best actress she'd ever met. What a trusting imbecile. She heard a skittering noise and had to assume that the remaining spider yokai were there as well, otherwise Kuchiki's staff would have never released her so easily and Kyouraku would have already handled the situation. At least that meant Kuchiki Taicho would be informed as soon as the surviving staff noticed and they'd have backup shortly.

"Kiyoko-san it isn't your fault," Kyouraku comforted, and Nanao would have snorted if it wouldn't have alerted them to her presence. It most certainly was the moron's fault, her and her whole greedy scheming family. Nanao was a bit too tired to be charitable with her thoughts at the moment. "What do you want in exchange for the woman?"

"Well as you can see from her arm we already tried the gate once," Abe answered. "So congratulations you must be having a girl since the mother's blood didn't work."

"Alright," Kyouraku said tightly. "Let her go and I'll go with you."

"I'm not an idiot, Kyouraku-san," Abe spat. "Even with the yokai help I know I have no chance of taking you. No, I think we'll keep the girl with us as insurance. Now lets go."

"You know this is madness," Kyouraku commented in a last ditch effort to persuade them. "No one has ever returned from going through that gate. We don't even know what's on the other side."

"There always has to be a first," Abe answered with a laugh. "And if there are booby traps I suppose its good that we have a hostage to make walk in front of us." Kiyoko started crying harder and Nanao listened as they departed the house.

She gave them a good head start before slipping out and putting her shoes on. She didn't have time to slip back into uniform, but at least she'd had enough sense to sleep in comfortable pants and a tank. She crept out into the night and took to the roofs, keeping track of Shunsui's reiatsu and following in their wake. They were fast and she had to assume the yokai were carrying Kiyoko and Abe. She shunpoed behind them and they arrived on a remote part of the Kyouraku family land quickly. Nanao dropped back several meters and for once cursed the well groomed lands that offered very little to hide behind. There was a small shrine she slipped behind and tried to glance around the corner.

In a clearing in front of the shrine stood a delicate stone alter with a basin in it. It was around this that that small group had gathered. Nanao felt Kyouraku send a reprimanding push on her reiatsu and she shoved right back. There was no chance in hell she was walking away no matter what he'd prefer. Kuchiki would ring the alarm bells, she was staying here.

"Arm," Abe demanded holding up a knife. Kyouraku sent him a cold look and the man laughed. "Open the gate or we kill the woman slowly." Kiyoko broke into a fresh round of tears and Kyouraku raised his arm over the basin stiffly.

Can we get a kido into Abe and the two spider yokai fast enough? Nanao asked silently, slipping her zanpaktou from its sheath.

Possibly, but we don't know the yokai's strength. It may take longer to kill them than expected and they'd feel the reiatsu levels and know it is an attack. Beyond that the creature could kill the woman in a death throe. I assume you don't want the woman dead? Kage replied, and she could hear in his odd echo tone that he thought the woman was perfectly expendable and was only taking her into account because he knew Nanao wouldn't agree.

Then when the gate opens, she thought. They'll be distracted and if I can just get Kiyoko away from the spider yokai we'll be able to handle the rest from there. She watched the blood flow from Kyouraku's arm and prepared herself for a gate. She'd twice seen the Gates of Hell open for hollows she'd defeated and assumed this would be much the same. What she didn't expect was a small eruption of white light from the basin, which quickly expanded outward to encompass the small group standing around it and a large swath of the clearing.

Go, Kage yelled in her mind and she didn't need to be told twice. Nanao slammed all the speed she'd built up over the previous months into that one shunpo leap and threw herself into the already dwindling ball of light.

She rolled in a protective move as the light blinded her momentarily. Nanao followed the roll through to a crouch, Kage still out in her good hand, and tried to blink the stars out of her eyes.

"Tanaka-san?" Abe's voice asked startled.

Nanao hissed at the name of her adoptive father and glared her refocusing eyes on the man who had once tried to own her. They were in a clearing almost identical to the one they'd just left only there was no shrine and it was surrounded by trees.

"What are you doing here?" Abe asked quizzically. "I thought you'd disappeared before your father's death."

"That's the bitch that helped slaughter our children," one of the yokai growled advancing on Nanao. The other yokai chattered some foreign sound and the yokai stopped moving, although its six eyes didn't waver from her.

"Tanaka-san did?" Abe asked looking more confused and glancing between her and the yokai. "But she's just a slave whore. Just a child raised to be sold into a man's bed."

Kyouraku's reaitsu crackled and the yokai that had issued the reprimand a moment ago tugged Kiyoko closer to its poised claws making the pregnant woman cry out until Kyouraku controlled it again.

"My father," Nanao answered raising to her full height and allowing the disgust she felt to enter her tone, "was a repulsive slave trader. Fortunately he wasn't able to keep me, and I assure you that I'm no whore to be owned."

"What do you have to do with any of this?" Abe demanded.

"I'm," Nanao started and then decided she wasn't even sure how to answer the question, "it's complicated and I hardly need to explain myself to you."

"What does it matter?" the spider yokai who had been slowly inching nearer to her demanded. "She's a threat, let me kill her."

"Why? She's just a whore," Abe said laughing and obviously completely unaware that she had ever been anything else. "Is she yours Kyouraku-san? Is that it? Cute little Kiyoko-chan couldn't satisfy? Did you finally purchase her?"

Nanao started to build a kido that would blow the bastards head off, but heard Kage still her rage in her mind. Learn a lesson from your Taicho, the blade advised, sometimes the best weapon is their underestimation. At that moment the yokai not holding Kiyoko lost control and lunged at her. Nanao flung herself to the side and out of the way rolling into the relative cover of the underbrush. She tried to scramble to her feet to counter the next attack when a reiatsu so overbearing it drove her flatly to her belly in the shrubs lit up in the area. It wasn't Kyouraku's, it wasn't like anything she'd ever felt before. Even the Soutaicho's reiatsu hadn't felt like this. She attempted to look back at the clearing as best she could through the plants, as she couldn't lift her head. From her vantage point she could tell she wasn't the only one struggling. Human and yokai alike had been flattened to the ground. Kyouraku was still standing, but she could see him struggling against the invisible force as he tried to draw his zanpaktou. A man stepped into the clearing and cocked his head to the side appraising them all.

"Only five of you then," the man said quietly and seemed almost surprised by the sound of his own voice. Nanao felt the reiatsu easing off and could see the others shuddering up from their places on the ground.

"Leave them sheathed shinigami," the yokai commanded as Kyouraku went for his swords. The creature had had enough sense to grasp Kiyoko again as the pressure released them.

"Which one of you is a Kyouraku?" the man asked, his ice blue eyes looking at them vaguely disinterested. Abe crawled backwards oh his hands and heels, shaking his head no, and looking at the new man with frightened eyes.

"I am," Shunsui said quickly, stepping forward to partially block Kiyoko from view. The man's eyes grew sharp at the movement and Nanao felt her senses scream danger.

"And the woman?" the blue eyed man asked glancing at Kiyoko's bleeding arm, which had been cut in Abe's earlier attempt to open the gate. "Carrying your child I assume?"

"It doesn't matter," Shunsui answered resting his hand on the handle of the sword and watching the stranger closely. Shunsui's reiatsu brushed Nanao's, warning her to stay back and she sent him a reassurance. The blue eyed man's reiatsu was like nothing she'd ever felt and she was pretty sure they were going to need whatever element of surprise they could get.

"It matters," the man said, "because you are not a true Kyouraku and neither is that bastard spawn she carries." He raised his hand and Kyouraku pulled his zanpaktou, but it was already too late. Kiyoko and the yokai holding her went up in a kido flame of unmatchable intensity. It was almost too fast for Kiyoko to scream. A split second later all that remained of the creature and the girl were charred corpses. "You two are unnecessary," the blue eyed man said calmly, and Abe and the other yokai seemed to turn inside out and explode with a wave of his hand. Nanao flinched as a chunk of the yokai landed next to her in the underbrush.

Shunsui had broken through his shock enough to charge the man with his swords gleaming. Nanao had never seen Shunsui not at least try to reason his way out of a fight at the start. Blades crashed as the blue eyed man drew his own sword to meet his attacker.

"She didn't do anything. The child was innocent," Shunsui yelled choking on the words as their blades met in a shower of sparks again.

"They were filth, and so are you," the man snarled.

Nanao pulled her own blade and released her shikai. Now was not the time for a fair fight. She called the kido to her and concentrated it on the man's heart. Kage screamed with her as she shoved the kido through space and tried to make it appear where she willed it.

The man danced away from Kyouraku and glanced in her direction coolly. "Interesting technique," he commented and lifted a hand towards her.

She heard Shunsui yell her name in panic, but didn't have time to fully understand that her release had been thwarted as a force that felt like a battering ram threw her back to the ground and crushed the air out of her lungs till all light blinked out.

* * *

**A/N: My only excuse is that life has been crazy busy.**


	41. Trapped

Shunsui ached as he pulled at the restraining kido chains holding him tightly to the wall. Whatever that man was it was like nothing he had come up against before. It was unimaginable power. He'd fought off every attack Shunsui had thrown at him and had brushed off Nanao's kido like it was a softly thrown snowball. He glanced over at the woman lying wrapped in restraining kido on the other side of the room and willed her to wake up. He had to assume Nanano was alive or the man wouldn't have even bothered to take her, but not being able to reach her did nothing to alleviate his fears. Nor did he want to think about what the man planned to do to her. He'd burned a pregnant woman alive with no signs of pity or mercy. Shunsui harshly shoved the thought out of his mind. He couldn't even think about Kiyoko or the child without wanting to throw up and equally kill the man in a horrible way. As the only one of those he could possibly achieve right now was being sick he forced his mind to focus on the immediate problems. He'd have time to grieve when this was over.

Shunsui had fought the man for a matter of minutes and had known instantly he was outclassed. Being one of the strongest Taichos in the Gotei 13, it had been a surreal experience to feel someone so beyond his ability. He'd apparently held his own enough to impress the man though, since he'd been slammed down in a holding kido and told he'd be kept around for a while. When the man had gone towards Nanao's prone form at the edge of the clearing Shunsui had felt his soul wrench at the thought of him killing her, but kept his silence. The man obviously had issues with the Kyouraku's, and he wasn't about to make Nanao's position anymore precarious by admitting he cared for her. He'd not been able to contain the sigh of relief when the man had merely looked at her, bound her, and tossed her over his shoulder.

Shunsui strained at the kido holding him again and hissed when one of the chains rubbed through an open wound on his arm. The man had used a kido to drag him back through the woods to an old fashioned house, which they were now chained up in. Settling back down in the chains, Shunsui tried to focus quietly and follow the lines of the kido to find a weak link. He was good at kido but it'd never been his forte. He really wished Nanao would wake up so he could confirm, first if she was all right, and then second see if she'd have any better luck with these chains.

Finding no weak link in the chains, he instead started trying to discover if the power was running in waves, pulses, or a steady flow as it would change the way he tried to counter it. It was a trick he'd actually learned from Nanao last year. He grinned to himself at the memory and let it distract him for a moment.

They'd been arguing over a mission, which was supposed to be fukutaicho level that he'd gone behind her back to get handed over to the 6th so that she wouldn't have to participate. Nanao, being Nanao, had of course discovered the switch and had rained down hell on his head that evening when she'd come over to his house. He'd defended himself with the fact that all the research on the hollow the mission was set up to take out said it depended heavily on spikes, claws and its scales, all of which were extremely resistant to reiatsu attacks, translating to a close battle with heavy sword work and not a mission for his kido wielding Nanao-chan. Nanao had argued that the creature's scales wouldn't stop a good kido binding and after it was bound she could dispatch it at her leisure with her zanpaktou. Shunsui had shrugged and said most kido bindings could be broken with enough force, which had caused Nanao to scoff and say not one of her's. He'd dared her to prove it and had found himself chained up in his bed, which Nanao said was for his comfort as he'd be there for a while, for the next three hours while Nanao sipped tea and read on a chair in the corner. She'd finally raised that notorious eyebrow and asked him if he was willing to give up because she was getting bored. He'd stubbornly said he was almost there, which was a complete lie as he hadn't even managed to figure out what spell this particular binding was derived from, let alone begun to figure out how to undo it.

Nanao had simply laughed and set her book down. He'd been comforted that at least his current dilemma had tempered her anger. That was until she'd gotten that dangerous little smile and said she was glad he was almost free since she was in the mood for some fun and it'd be tough on him if he wasn't allowed to grab or touch. He never had managed to break the spell and she'd tortured him in the most delicious ways possible.

She'd finally unraveled the spell for him after she'd made him beg for release in more than one way and admit that he had no hope of ever managing the spell on his own. He'd shown his gratitude into the early hours of the morning and teased her about kido often after that hoping for a repeat. The next day though she'd taken a more practical approach to teaching him how to analyze and break high level kido bindings, which hadn't been quite as fun, but was overall useful. Unfortunately it was currently failing him completely.

A groan from the other side of the room had him giving up his struggle and focusing on Nanao as she blinked and started to shift.

"Nanao?" he called, leaving the chan suffix off just in case the man was near. He could only assume the further removed she was from the Kyouraku family the safer she was.

"Shun?" she asked blurrily trying to focus her eyes where she'd heard his voice.

"I'm here. Take your time," Shunsui answered sounding calmer than he felt.

"What happened?" she asked starting to wiggle in her bindings.

"That man is ridiculously strong," Shunsui said and would have shrugged if the chains didn't prevent it.

Nanao snorted. "I got that part. Why is he pissed off at you?"

"I have no clue," Shunsui answered honestly. "I've never seen him before in my life." Nanao undulated her body in a way that distracted him momentarily and then the chains restraining her slipped off into a pile on the floor beneath her and she stood up and stretched.

"Please tell me you can get these off as easily," he said.

Nanao moved over to his side and placed her hands on the binding concentrating. "These are completely different," she said frowning. "Mine were complex, but standard enough. These are kido like I've never seen before. It's actually quite magnificent work."

"Just get them off," he ordered, not in the mood for one of her kido lectures. Just like getting Jyuushiro going about his gardening, Nanao could ramble on forever about an interesting incantation.

"I don't know that I can," she answered seriously. "This spell took more skill to create then I've ever encountered. It must have taken years to master." Shunsui grunted as she did something to the spell and it twisted uncomfortably tight for a minute before falling back into its previous position.

"Then you need to go," he said firmly. "Get out of here while you can and get help."

"I'm not leaving you," she said fiercely. "You saw what that man did. I'm not leaving you here with him. Maybe something more like this." She wrapped her small hand around one of the restricting chains and closed her eyes.

"I would not try that," the man's voice said from the doorway, startling them both. "It will interact badly with the 6th layer and probably only serve the purpose of charring his flesh." The man stepped more fully into the room and appraised them both. "On second thought, continue."

"Don't come any closer," Nanao growled and a kido crackled around her fingers.

The man stared at her calmly and then shunpoed forward at a pace to match any Taicho. He grabbed her hand and her spell went out like a flame doused with water. "Twenty years," he said pressing Nanao back against the wall. Shunsui struggled in his bindings again desperate to get the man away from her.

"What?" Nanao asked trying to pull her hand free.

"It took twenty years to perfect that binding," he answered coolly, as if he wasn't holding on to a struggling woman. "I was curious to see if you could break it. It only took you about five seconds to slip out of your own bindings, which was remarkable. I was hopeful for a moment."

"You wanted me to break it?" Nanao asked confused.

"Your technique was interesting in the clearing. I nearly did not see it coming, shoving that much energy through space to a focal point. I've seen special displacement done before, but not in the form of attack or with so much accuracy on a moving body. In fact, I did not believe it could be used for offense since it takes so much energy and concentration. The skill to use it on a moving opponent is almost unfathomable. And yet, your reiatsu level does not match the ability. How did you manage it? Your zanpakutou, perhaps?"

"What do you want from us?" Nanao demanded, but Shunsui noticed her nervous glance in his direction and sighed internally. So the man was right, and she'd still been keeping secrets after all.

"I want him dead," the man said nodding at Shunsui. "And I have not decided what I want from you yet. What are you to him? A whore, as that other man accused?"

"I am no one's whore," Nanao said indignantly, finally managing to pull her hand free of the man.

"She's my fukutaicho," Shunsui piped in. "She's here because she had a duty to follow her taicho, nothing more."

"Fukutaicho?" the man asked frowning. "They are allowing women to be fukutaicho in the King's forces?"

"The King's forces?" Nanao asked surprised.

"We're a part of the Gotei 13," Shunsui corrected watching the man closely. He showed no signs of recognition. "Who are you?"

"My name is Kyouraku Daiki," the man said turning those blue eyes on him. "And you are no descendent of mine."

"That isn't possible," Shunsui stated in shock. "You died thousands of years ago."

"Stasis spells do wonders," Daiki said not looking away from a glaring Nanao. "I'm the last of the true Kyouraku line. Whatever you are is a mongrel child of that traitorous King and my cheating wife, and I will not stop until the lie that has tarnished the Kyouraku name has been eradicated."

"And this is how you planned on wiping us out?" Shunsui asked genuinely confused. "Waiting for us to get curious and pop through this portal for you to kill us one by one? And why make the youngest son the key? None of this makes any sense."

"I am not here by choice, you imbecile," Daiki snarled and the chains around Shunsui tightened and rasped through his wounds. He hissed and Nanao started towards him only to have Daiki grab her burned hand and squeeze as hard as he could. Nanao let out a shocked little cry of pain and was driven to her knees as he applied more force.

"Leave her alone," Shunsui wheezed out. "She's got nothing to do with this."

"Do you not get it yet, woman?" Daiki demanded not letting up on the pressure as Nanao struggled to kick him through her agony. "There is nothing you can do for him. I have been here for thousands of years with nothing more to do than practice and refine my skills. Neither of you can match me. Intrigue me for a minute or two, yes, but match me, never. I can destroy you or repair you as I see fit." Then his hand lit up with kido and Nanao screamed.

Shunsui threw himself against the binding not caring that it was harming him more than it was doing anything to release the chains. All he could see was Kiyoko and the baby burning and knew he could not bear seeing it happen to anyone else, let alone Nanao. Then her screaming stopped, and for the first time in his life he was relieved to hear her weeping if only to know she was still alive. He wanted to cry out to her and ask if she was all right, but he quickly realized one of the chains had tightened around his throat and he couldn't seem to draw in any air.

"Not yet," Daiki said waving a hand and the chains on Shunsui relaxed their hold. "Your death is mine."

"What did you do to her?" Shunsui gasped regaining air and trying to see her better around the man's legs. Nanao was curled in on herself, with her burned hand held protectively close to her body.

"I healed her," Daiki said flatly, reaching down and wrenching her injured hand forward, half dragging Nanao along for Shunsui to see. The hand was perfect again. There was absolutely nothing to indicate that there had ever been any damage. He'd never even seen the 4th capable of healing like that. They'd told Nanao there would probably be scarring they could never fully remove even though she'd have full use of the hand. The man was a monster in terms of power and skill. "Given this kind of healing should be done slowly over the course of weeks. Done so quickly it must have been incredibly painful," Daiki commented as he jerked Nanao forward again. She seemed to be in a pain-induced daze, and Daiki dumped her at Shunsui's side where she curled back into a protective ball and let out a small little moan. "You see the situation now? You do not have any hope of defeating me. Your death is at my leisure." That said the man turned and walked away. Shunsui heard a door shut somewhere within the house and turned his attention back to Nanao.

"Nanao-chan?" he coaxed quietly, not caring anymore if the man heard. "Are you alright?" She just gave a sniffle and curled closer to his side. "Nanao," he repeated trying to get her to say something. The last thing he wanted was for her to go into shock. "I need you to tell me something. I'll make it an order if I have to."

"I'm ok," she said with tears in her voice. "Kami, that hurt. I've never felt anything like it. It still hurts, like it's still on fire and I can't make it stop."

She whimpered and Shunsui would have given just about anything to get loose of the binding and help her somehow, even if it was just holding her. "Can you work a numbing kido at all?"

He felt her reiatsu flare a bit as she tried and then sputter and regain its normal levels. "I can't," she muttered. She tried again with the same results.

"Nanao-chan, you can," he encouraged. "You need to block out the pain for a moment and do it. I know you can." He felt her try again and didn't want to think about how much pain she must be in to make it impossible for her to focus on an incantation. "One more time," he pushed.

He felt her reiatsu pulse again and tried to press his own against her's in support, but of course couldn't get anything past the bindings. This time the levels held and he felt her body relax next to him as the pain dampening kido started to take effect. Her kido balanced out even more and she sighed as she finished the spell.

"Better?" he asked wishing he could reach out and touch her.

"Yes," she mumbled. "Shunsui, how is it even possible that he can have that much power? And it feels all wrong. Even the kido chain on me, it was standard stuff, but something felt off about it."

"It's probably because if he's telling the truth he learned his kido thousands of years ago. It's why the way he speaks sounds strange too."

"What does he want with us?" she asked.

"Me, he wants to kill," Shunsui said honestly. "You, I'm not sure yet, but I think it'd be best if you stay indifferent to me. He'll be kinder to you if he thinks I'm just your responsibility."

Nanao snorted at she uncurled a bit and blinked up at him. The pain, kido casting, and dizzying effects of the pain-reducing spell left her eyes a bit unfocused and she sat up next to him and leaned back into his side heavily. "You are my responsibility," she stated simply.

"Over a hundred years and I still haven't managed to get it through your head that that should be the opposite way around," he said smiling down at the top of her head, which was now resting against his shoulder. "Seriously, Nanao, he might be kinder if he thinks you don't care for me beyond being your taicho."

"You aren't my taicho," she said tiredly. "And there isn't any point in pretending I don't care for you. I did that for years and the entire Seireitei had a betting pool of when we'd get together. I'm obviously not very good at it."

He smiled and leaned his head against hers. "Nanao, get some rest and then maybe with your skill and my power levels we can break this binding."

"We should try now," she said shifting next to him. "While that man is gone."

"Nanao, he wouldn't have left you unbound if he thought we had any real chance of getting away," Shunsui said with a sigh. "Rest, we'll try later."

"You said no one has ever come back from here," she said.

"Yes, well no one had Nanao-chan with them," he answered trying to sound more cheerful than he felt. "We'll be fine, but I need you well rested and functional. I'll wake you up in a little while." He felt her relax more into him and in a few minutes heard her breathing even out in her sleep. Shunsui closed his eyes and leaned his head back trying to figure out the kido binding again, although he had little hope of breaking it. They weren't alone for long, which was what Shunsui had half expected anyway, although he had hoped the man had left.

"Is she your whore then?" Daiki asked from the doorway.

"No," Shunsui said not bothering to lift his head or open his eyes. "She's not a whore at all."

"Nor your fukutaicho," Daiki stated.

"She was for a very long time," Shunsui answered honestly assuming he'd listened to their whole conversation.

"And then she became your lover?" Daiki asked. "Or perhaps a second wife? The other woman was carrying your child was she not?"

"She was," Shunsui said tensing and trying not to think of Kiyoko in the center of those flames. He shoved his rage away and tried to focus. "Nanao was my girlfriend for awhile. We broke up."

"Girlfriend?" Daiki asked and Shunsui could hear the confusion in his voice. "Broke up?"

Shunsui lifted his head and looked at the man. He had legitimate confusion on his face and Shunsui sighed when he realized the problem. "Right, you probably aren't familiar with those terms. We were courting, but she decided to stop when Kiyoko got pregnant. Nanao doesn't deserve to be hurt just because you want to wipe out my family. She has nothing to do with it."

"Do you love her?" Daiki asked.

"What's the right answer?" Shunsui questioned watching him closely. "If I say yes do you kill her? For no reason other than she had the wrong man fall in love with her? And if I say no, do you kill her just to prove that I'm lying?"

"If you say no, I will kill her," Daiki said looking at Nanao dispassionately. "If you do not love her she means nothing. If you do love her, then she retains my interest."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Shunsui asked, wanting to move in front of her and stop Daiki from staring at her like that.

"Do you know what it is like to have the woman you love taken from you? Turned from you? Bearing children that are not yours?" Daiki questioned.

Shunsui felt his heart stop and the panic swell. "_I_ didn't do that to you. The man who did that to you is long since dead, and I can't help the family I was born into. Hell, I've wanted to change the family I come from more times than I can tell you. I've hated everything that's had to do with the Kyouraku name, but I don't care if you have to take that out on me. Just leave her out of it. She doesn't deserve to suffer for other people's mistakes. She's just a kid."

"I see nothing childish about her," Daiki said with a leer down at the woman at his side.

"Just let her go," Shunsui tried again, struggling to keep his tone even. He desperately searched the binding for any weakness. Even if he couldn't beat the man, he'd die trying before he'd let the bastard lay one finger on Nanao. He really couldn't contemplate a worse fate for her after she'd managed to finally get free of a father that treated her like an object, than to be handed to another man that would do the same.

"Let her go where?" Daiki asked with a cold laugh. "You really are not putting this together are you? There is nowhere to go. Even if I released you both this moment, you are just as trapped as I am. You think I chose this fate? I knew that faithless King was planning something for me all those years ago. Knew he wanted my wife, but the bastard could not bear the thought of losing his biggest line of defense by simply killing me either. I was his most powerful warrior. Do you know what he was plotting? To trap me here like a caged hunting hawk, only to be released on his enemies and then quietly tucked back away when I was no longer convenient. But I discovered the plot, not soon enough to stop, but to change it at the last moment. I bound it, bound the gate, bound this dimension to the blood of his sons by my wife."

"It goes to the youngest son though," Shunsui said confused and happy to have Daiki's crazed attention on anything besides Nanao. Her breathing had shifted and he knew she was awake at his side. He could only hope she didn't do anything rash before he could figure out a course of action.

"Does it?" Daiki asked surprised.

"Didn't you know?" he questioned.

"I have taken very little time to converse with the filth that has come through that gate," Daiki said calmly. "The only way the binding would have played out in that way is if that adulterous bitch's first born son was actually mine, and that would mean –" the man trailed off and Shunsui shoved at part of the kido binding that felt different from the rest. It held and he cursed internally. "The oldest? Did he live? Is there a true Kyouraku line?"

Shunsui shook his head and saw the bloom of hope die on the man's face. "He fell from his horse, I think," Shunsui answered. "He died."

"So any Kyouraku left is the filth I believed them to be," Daiki said darkly. His gaze went back to Nanao and he took a step forward.

"If the King knew you wouldn't help him, that you were a danger and had linked the gate to the bloodline to force them to come to you if they wanted you, why would you assume they'd send anyone through at all?" Shunsui asked to distract him. "You couldn't have been that useful as a weapon if you were just as likely to turn on them. Even if they could try to bribe you with freedom eventually if you played nice."

The man strode over to a door on the opposite side of the room and threw it open. Inside was a simple pedestal and a beautifully wrought mirror resting on top. Shunsui's eyes widened in surprise.

"Recognize it do you?" the man asked smirking proudly.

"Only from paintings," Shunsui admitted. "Is that really the mirror from the imperial regalia? How could that be missing and no one know?"

"Oh they know I stole it, but do you really think they would admit to the public that particular loss of face? The regalia are a symbol of the Spirit King's divinity and confirms his legitimacy as paramount ruler of the land. I stole it from its resting place right before they shoved me into this cage. If they want it they can come and get it," Daikai said dangerously. "I may not have been able to stop this entrapment, but they will come one by one and I will rid my family name of its false descendents."

"The royal family may know it's here," Shunsui said angrily, "But the Kyouraku line has no clue. We just know there is some sort of treasure or weapon. We haven't been interested in coming to find it in centuries. My being here is the fault of a greedy idiot and nothing to do with me. We don't want anything from you. If you kill me it won't change anything. It's too late for this plan to work. Do you know how many cousins and nieces and nephews I have? The name is already sullied and changed, and there is no way that every one of your descendents in name will come here to be slaughtered. You've already lost. We mean nothing."

"It is all I have," Daiki flared back. "If I could escape this trap, I would hunt you one by one, but I can not so I will stay here and pick you off as I can."

"Let us help you," Shunsui offered. "Get you out of here. Thousands of years have gone by, you could have a life, move on. You can expose what the King and your wife did to you, and we'll change our family name if it appeases you."

"Move on?" Daiki asked and Shunsui suddenly realized he'd played the wrong card. The man had been trapped here for centuries with only his obsession to drive him. What had he been thinking? "Fine," Daiki said and Shunsui tensed. Nanao sensed it and readied at his side. "I will move on when you do," Daiki said casually. "Show me how easy it is to forgive."

Then Daiki reached forward and grabbed Nanao by the arm. She went twisting and hissing like an angry cat. Shunsui could tell she was still in need of rest, but she fired off attacks as best she could. Daiki shrugged them off like they were flies.

"She was willing," Shunsui yelled raging against his restraints and wishing desperately for his swords. "The difference is your wife was willing to go to the King's bed. This isn't Nanao's fault."

Nanao gave up on the kido attacks and instead jerked her arm back as hard as she could, causing Daiki's restraining hand to follow. She bit down ferociously on his wrist and Daiki released her with a yell, and then just as quickly backhanded her with his uninjured hand. Nanao went reeling back, but kept her feet under her. Shunsui tried to calm down and focus on the kido restraining him as the man paced towards her and she moved back.

Daiki shunpoed and tried to force Nanao back into the corner, but she evaded him with a speed Shunsui hadn't known she had. Perhaps Kuchiki had actually taught her something after all. Daiki gave chase and Nanao moved quickly, shoving a low lying table into his path and causing the man to go sprawling. He was up just as fast and reaching for her again. Nanao ducked under his hands and came up against him with a vicious shoulder jab to the chest that shoved the air out of him. Then she twisted and landed a crushing roundhouse kick to his head. Daiki fired a kido at her and she rolled into a dodge, which Daiki had expected and moved quickly to grab her as she came out of the roll. She twisted painfully and as he moved to intercept her and lock her down to the floor, she brought her knee up hard and nailed him in the groin. Shunsui winced and promised himself when they got out of there he'd buy Soi Fon something nice for taking on Nanao's hand to hand training. Maybe he could talk Yoruichi into taking the woman out in the living world for a day. Nanao rolled out from under Daiki as he groaned and threw a kido at him and another violent kick to the head before bolting to Shunsui's side.

She slammed her reiatsu down the lines of his restraints and Shunsui could feel her desperately trying to figure it out. "Any weird chinks?"

"Not that I've felt," he said. "Nanao-chan, you need to knock him out."

"With what?" she demanded and he glanced around the sparse room and once again wished for their swords. "I threw a sleeping spell at him, but he'll probably just brush it off like he has all the others. We have to get you out of here. Now shut up and let me concentrate."

There was silence for a few moments beside Daiki's groans. Nanao muttered to herself and pressed Shunsui forward to get a better look behind him. Her hands flitted along his back and then traced around to his abdomen. She flooded power in that spot and Shunsui felt the kido around him burn. He kept his face as neutral as possible knowing if he flinched she'd give up too quickly and try something else. The heat let up and she narrowed here eyes. "I'm going to try something," she said seriously. "It might hurt a little."

"Do it," he said meeting her eyes. He could see Daiki moving jerkily in the periphery of his vision and Nanao raised her hand to the chains again. The heat was intense as it moved through the kido like a whip. Shunsui gritted his teeth as she forced more power through it and the links got hotter against his skin. Daiki moved behind them and Nanao pushed harder. "Nanao," he cried in warning as Daiki made his way over. Suddenly cold as strong as any of Hitsugaya's attacks ripped around him and he felt something shatter.

Nanao was wrenched back from him by a hand on her shoulder and slammed down with a kido so hard Shunsui could tell she was having trouble breathing through it. Whatever she had done hadn't completely broken the binding restraining him, but it had sure as hell weakened it. Daiki reached down his hand and put it on Nanao's neck sending a kido that blazed like lightning through her body. She screamed and then fell limp. Shunsui threw all of his considerable force at what remained of the kido binding and felt it tear at him in protest. He growled against it and finally felt it rip and slide around him.

There was no time for finesse. He lunged forward and tackled Daiki off of her. He felt Daiki's fist connect with his stomach and rolled with the punch. It was lucky he did since Daiki had laced a kido through the hit. They both rolled to their feet and glared at each other from across the room. Shunsui was comforted to find he'd managed to come up on the correct side of things and Nanao's prone form lay at his back. He sent his reiatsu seeking for hers and found her unconscious but alive. Relieved he turned back to his opponent.

Daiki was staring at Nanao, and Shunsui stepped to the left to block his line of sight. "It was clever what she did," Daiki commented thoughtfully. "Heating it up and then cooling it off so rapidly that it would shatter portions of the spell. I did not even think to protect against that."

"Nanao-chan is a very intelligent girl," Shunsui agreed, internally debating his next move. He didn't have the power to overwhelm Daiki, especially not without his swords.

"She could be better," Daiki said casually. "That will come with time, and if there is one thing I have it is an eternity of time."

"Just release us and we'll find a way out of here," Shunsui said. "Then you'll have the opportunity to hunt all of the Kyourakus down."

"You would give me the opportunity to hunt down your entire family for the off chance you could keep this one woman safe?"

"She doesn't have anything to do with this," Shunsui said not mentioning that he was sure the Gotei 13 would be able to put the bastard down once they crossed dimensions. "She shouldn't be punished for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It's my family you have the issue with."

"It is a moot point," the man said his blue eyes flashing. "This dimension can not be broken. Do you not think I have tried? In which case, I will be killing you slowly and the woman is mine. Take solace in the fact that she will live."

Shunsui slammed a kido blast into the man's chest and Daiki flipped head over heels backwards slamming into the wall. "Stay away from her."

Daiki grinned and started firing off blasts as well. "You are levels above the last fake Kyouraku that came here," he said easily. "It is never fun if it is too easy." Kido burned as it was thrown back and forth between them and for a moment Shunsui thought he had the upper hand till he noticed the last fireball was aimed not at him, but straight at Nanao. Shunsui lunged in front of her and threw up a hasty shield protecting them both. The spell split around the shield and wrapped around him, forcing him to roll to put out the flames. Then he got back to his feet only to be hit in the back with an overpowering restraint.

"I have had quite a bit of time to develop helpful kido spells," Daiki said as Shunsui struggled against the spell. "I wonder if you will be able to break this one without her." Daiki kicked him hard in the stomach and Shunsui let out a woof of air. He watched helplessly as Daiki strolled back over to Nanao and picked up her limp form and walked out of the room without another word.

Shunsui would never forgive himself if anything happened to her. The image of Kiyoko going up in flames pressed against his mind again and he ruthlessly shoved it back. Thinking of it would help nothing. He calmed his mind as best he could and started trying to work through the kido. He could almost hear Nanao's lecturing tone of voice goading him along. Perhaps he should have paid more attention to what she was saying all those times and less attention to what her hands and lips were doing. He'd just have to get creative. After all creativity had always been one of his strong points.

* * *

**A/N: Faster update this time! Also because I know it's been a long time, if you wanted a refresher on this blood line thing, Shunsui tells Nanao about it back in the second half of Ch. 4. Thanks for sticking with me :) I'll also have an unrelated one-shot out soon.**


	42. Deal with the Devil

Nanao felt like shit. Just utter shit. Whatever spell Daiki had hit her with had packed a nasty punch. She groaned as she rolled over and tried to assess the damage. Her head hurt, her wrist hurt, she still felt exhausted, and her hand was pulsing in pain. It was bearable though, and Nanao tried to collect her thoughts as she sat up. She found herself in a large futon and quickly glanced around the sparse room. Daiki was nowhere to be seen and she was grateful for small favors. Nanao crawled out of the bed and tried to decide what to do next. Daiki obviously outclassed them both in power and skill. Then again that wasn't very surprising considering he'd allegedly been a formidable worrier in his time and had had nothing to do for years but practice and refine his skill. That meant they were going to have to run. Nanao sent her reiatsu seeking for Shunsui, but could only find it tangled up in another unique kido binding.

The door opened and Daiki walked in carrying a tray of tea. There was no doubt he wasn't related to Shunsui. Where all the Kyourakus she had ever known had possessed dark hair and eyes this man was blonde and blue eyed. He was also significantly shorter than all of the Kyouraku men she had ever met, though she considered that that could have just been due to time and people getting taller through the ages.

"You countered that last kido a bit then, before you lost consciousness," Daiki commented looking surprised. "You should have been out for at least a day or two. Impressive."

"Kido has always been my strength," Nanao said with a glare.

"I could teach you more," he offered putting the tray down on a small desk.

"I know enough," she spat stubbornly.

"Then counter this," he said and flicked his hand casually at her.

Spears of light flew at her and her mind scanned them furiously as they came. She quickly recognized that any shield she could throw up would be shattered. Instead she combined two spells to form a flexible barrier that stretched like a rubber band as the shafts of light impacted and absorbed their speed and strength before flinging them off uselessly into other directions where they fizzed out.

"Interesting," he said watching her. "What you lack in skill you seem to be able to make up for in quick thinking. It will be fascinating to watch you progress."

"You won't get the chance," Nanao said coldly. "I will never bend to your wishes despite what you do to me."

Daiki chuckled and started setting out the tea. "Do you love him? That man? That imposter?" She was stubbornly quiet and continued to glare at him. "You do," he continued. "And what you do not seem to understand is that it is not your life and well being I am threatening. It is his. So, woman, how will you bend to stop me from harming him?" He tightened his fist and Nanao felt Shunsui's reiatsu flare around the restraining kido in the other room as it hurt him.

"Stop," she said quickly. Daiki loosened the binding again and Nanao realized she'd just proven his point wonderfully.

"That is what I thought," Daiki replied. "Tea?"

"No, thank you," Nanao growled bitterly.

"As you wish," Daiki said calmly. "You may go down that hall and you will find a bath two doors down on the left."

"No, thank you," Nanao repeated stiffly.

"That was not an offer," Daiki said simply, "that was an order. I will not look at you any longer while you look like a dirty peasant in men's clothing. It is offensive. Go."

Nanao fought everything in her telling her to punch him in the face and instead marched down the hallway slamming as many doors as she could. At least he hadn't demanded to come along. She stripped and washed quickly returning from the baths only to find her clothes removed and a deep red yukuta left in their place. It was obviously one of Daiki's but she didn't have much of a choice if she didn't want to walk out there naked. Sighing, she slipped the cloth on and tied the oversized yukuta up as best she could after rolling up the sleeves. Her hair hung wetly down her back and she steeled her shoulders into the most rigid posture she could hold before marching back out into the house at large.

"Better," Daiki commented from a side hallway, nearly scaring the life out of her.

"Let me see him," she demanded coldly.

"As you wish," Daiki said gliding down the hall in front of her and showing no concern at all that he'd turned his back on an enemy. Nanao started an attack spell in her mind and was interrupted when Daiki said, "Woman, if it will not kill me, consider what I will do to him after I have survived."

Nanao quashed the kido and wondered if there was something hard enough in the house to bash his head in with. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said skirting around him when he opened the door. Shunsui lay on the floor bound where Daiki had dropped him. She could see burn marks on his exposed skin where she'd heated up the last kido and she winced in sympathy. Striding forward as confidently as she could, she pulled the much larger man into a more comfortable sitting position. A scrape on his head was bleeding and she lifted her hand to heal it wondering if Daiki would try to stop her.

"You look lovely in red, Nanao-chan," Shunsui joked, but none of his usual lightness reached his eyes. "Though I think you bought it a few sizes too big."

"Hush, idiot," she chastised halfheartedly working the kido through the cut. She moved her hands to the burn marks and tried to ignore the man watching them.

"Enough," Daiki said and Nanao sighed backing off. "Come here," he said and Nanao simply shot a glare at him over her shoulder. "Now," Daiki ordered flicking his gaze towards Shunsui. Nanao got to her feet stiffly and moved to his side.

"Absolutely not," Shunsui said putting the pieces together quickly enough. "Nanao-chan, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Don't you dare do anything stupid on my behalf."

Daiki laughed and said, "Take a seiza, please." Nanao frowned but did as she was told folding her legs neatly underneath her and folding her hands in her lap. "Excellent," Daiki said softly. "Without the men's pants you look almost like a proper lady. Did you know my wife had your coloring? Only her eyes where a dark brown."

Nanao stiffened as he touched her chin to lift her face to him and she could practically feel Shunsui radiating anger on the other side of the room. "What do you want from me?" Nanao asked and was pleased that there was no wavering in her tone.

Daiki smiled easily. "I have been alone for a very long time," he said calmly. "Is it that difficult to figure out? It would not have to be unpleasant."

"Why would you want to?" Nanao asked desperately searching for anything that might turn him from her. "When Kyouraku-san has already had me."

The slap knocked her out of the seiza and she scrambled to her feet. "That man is no Kyouraku," Daiki growled advancing on her.

"If the Kyourakus take unwilling women then I suppose you're right," Nanao said sharply. "He certainly isn't one of you."

Nanao felt kido restraints lock around her and she struggled against them as her body was held in place. "This does not have to be this way," Daiki said advancing on her. "I can be kind."

Shunsui was yelling something, but all of her focus was locked on Daiki as he tugged her sash and let the yukuta fall off her shoulders and pool at her feet. Nanao struggled against the binding harder in desperation and couldn't stop the tears that started burning the back of her eyes as Daiki's hand came up to stroke her neck. She felt a burning sensation as kido coursed through the spot he touched and she blurrily realized he was healing the yokai fang wound at her throat. Given this time it wasn't pure torture like what he'd done to her hand.

"It does not have to be a struggle," Daiki said calmly, brushing her hair over her other shoulder and pressing his lips to her newly healed flesh. "There is no where to go. Why make this place anymore of a hell than it already is? We could please each other."

"Not like this," Nanao said and hated the rasp in her voice. "Not with you threatening me into it."

"You would do so willing if I were not?" Daiki asked surprised.

"Give us our swords," Nanao said trying desperately to form a plan. "Make it a fair fight. Us against you. If we win you let us go. We'll find a way out of here. Come if you like, we don't care."

"And if I win," Daiki said stroking a hand down her side to her bare hip.

"If you win, Shunsui dies and my life is yours freely given," Nanao said clenching her jaw and trying to ignore his touch. She didn't add that if they lost she fully planned on ending her life. Let him have the few seconds of it that would survive the duel.

"Done," Daiki said with a laugh. "There will always be another pretender to kill slowly. Rest, and in the morning he dies." Daiki released the binding around her and strode out of the room. Nanao let herself crumple, pulling the yukuta back up around her shoulders and tying it in the front. It took her a good few minutes to control her shaking and realize Shunsui was calling to her and desperately trying to inch across the floor to her even with the binding still on him.

Nanao stood up unsteadily and crossed the room to him, helping him again into a more comfortable position before curling into his lap and wrapping her arms around him. She could hear his heart thumping a frantic pattern and she squeezed herself to him tighter trying to calm them both down.

"Nanao-chan, are you ok?" he asked quietly.

"I'll be fine," she said closing her eyes against his chest.

"What I wouldn't give to have my arms free and be able to hold you right now," Shunsui mourned trying to bring his legs up closer to his chest and thus hold her tighter against him.

Nanao let out a bark of laughter. "I just committed you to a fight to the death and you're worried about not being able to hug me?"

"The hug seemed more important currently," he answered warmly.

"You truly are an idiot," she said wiping at her eyes and lifting her head to meet his gaze. "Do you want me to try and get these bindings off of you?"

"Will it be simple?" he asked.

She scanned it quickly. "No, but I could try."

"Seems like a waste if he's just going to let us go tomorrow. So what's the real plan?" Shunsui asked curiously.

"I don't have one," Nanao admitted ruefully. "Think we have any chance of beating him together?"

"Possibly," Shunsui said with a sigh. "He's like nothing I've ever come up against."

"Our best bet is to keep me out in front of you," Nanao said as she started in on the healing kido on his burns. She'd always used work to distract her from problems in the past and it wasn't any different now.

"Definitely not," Shunsui said frowning.

"Don't be stupid," Nanao said simply. "Daiki obviously wants me alive. It'll make it harder for him to hit you if I act as a shield."

"No," Shunsui said with finality.

"We aren't arguing this," Nanao said glaring up at him. "I can take a few hits. I am not, after all a kid as you put it."

Shunsui winced. "I was hoping you were asleep when I said that. You know I didn't mean it that way."

"Sometimes I wonder," Nanao said diverting her eyes to his injuries.

"Nanao, I don't see you as a child," he said sincerely.

"You sure treat me like one when you want to," she answered frostily.

"I was trying to keep him away from you," he argued.

"Regardless, this is the best plan and you know it," she said redirecting the argument.

"We can't take the risk that he'll change his mind about wanting you alive," Shunsui said shaking his head.

"Shun," she said softly meeting his eyes and letting more tenderness show than she normally would. "Do you really think I intend to remain alive if we lose?" Horror sank into his features and he opened his mouth to argue. "No," she said putting her hand over his lips. "This is my decision. I'm not going to be strong and keep looking for a way out or some other bullshit. I promised myself after my father I'd never let that happen to me. It's an honorable way to go. Besides maybe we'll manage to get reincarnated near each other."

Shunsui looked at her sadly but showed no further signs of arguing and she let her hand drop away from his mouth. "We will," he said. "If it comes to that, we'll get reincarnated together."

Nanao snorted. "I don't think you get to make those decisions."

"If we don't, I'll spend my whole life searching for you. It's not such a very big world after all," he said.

"You won't even remember me in your new life," she said with a true laugh. "You'll go around and be a playboy like always and be something silly like a painter or a musician. There is no way our paths will cross."

"Even the silliest painter or musician needs managers," he said with a grin. "We'll find each other Nanao-chan. Count on it."

Nanao rolled her eyes. "Well, at least this time we'll be the same age so you can't pull that older and wiser than you crap."

"Yes," Shunsui said warmly. "We'll grow old together and pass away together and go back to Soul Society and do it all over again."

Nanao kissed his forehead and moved out of his lap to rest at his side. "Sleep. We have a big day tomorrow." She closed her eyes and tried to relax.

"Nanao-chan?" Shunsui asked quietly after some time had passed.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry," he said softly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," Nanao answered confidently. "I always knew I'd follow you in death just as much as I have in life. I'm not sorry and you shouldn't be either."

There was silence for a few moments. "What'll you do when we're reincarnated and you don't have kido to fight me off with in the living world?" he asked and she could hear the grin in his voice.

"I'll find a bigger book, sir," she said smiling herself. "Plus I hear they have some very stringent anti-sexual harassment laws in the living world." He chuckled and she curled up closer to him. With that they both drifted off into fitful sleep.

* * *

**A/N: I know it's short, but at least its an update!**


	43. Last Stand

Shunsui woke up to the sound of a sliding door. Neither he nor Nanao moved, but he could tell she was just as awake next to him. Suddenly he felt the kido binding around him drop away, and they both opened their eyes to face Daiki on the other side of the room. The man was carrying a tray of food and tea, and both of them tensed waiting for his next move.

"You requested a fair fight, woman," Daiki said simply, noticing their tension. Daiki moved over to the table that Nanao had used to trip him only yesterday and set the tray down. "Everyone deserves a last meal. We will proceed this afternoon."

"Our swords?" Shunsui asked. He tracked Daiki's movements with his eyes waiting for any sign of attack.

"Will be returned then," Daiki replied. "While I do not see you as a threat, I would prefer that there be no backstabbing involved."

"We wouldn't," Shunsui started to defend.

"You are the descendent of a liar and a thief," Daiki said sharply. "Who knows how much of that resides within you as well?" That said Daiki strode out of the room.

As the door clicked closed Shunsui reached over and tugged his small ex-fukutaicho into a crushing hug. It was wonderful feeling all of her pressed firmly into him and confirming that she was well and in one piece.

"Shunsui," Nanao shouted indignantly, and it was good to still hear the fight in her voice after the conversation they'd had the night before.

"I've been deprived," he murmured burying his face into her neck and hair. For all that they'd joked about death, he just couldn't imagine this woman not existing here. The thought was too much to bear, and he pushed it away quickly while hugging her tighter.

"Really," Nanao huffed sitting stiffly in his arms. "We're in the home of a madman who is going to try to kill us this afternoon and the first thing you do when you're freed is hug me?"

"What would you suggest I do instead?" he asked unrelenting. Her scent was different than usual, and he wished she had other clothes in order to change out of the yukuta Daiki had given her.

"I don't know," Nanao conceded sarcastically. "Maybe eat, or stretch since you've been tied up all night, or even try and find our zanpaktous and get us out of here."

"All in good time," Shunsui replied and smiled into her skin. He'd missed that tone even if it was often aimed at him in annoyance. "Now come on. One sided hugs are sadder than no hugs at all."

Nanao sighed, but knew him better than to think he'd give up on this. He'd decided to stay latched onto her until Daiki came back if she protested. It wasn't like he had any better plans to change their situation, and he could think of worse ways to spend his final hours if that was what they were. She slipped her arms around him and slid more comfortably into his hold. "Can we eat now?" she demanded after a moment.

"Yare, yare, of course we can cruel Nanao-chan," he said releasing her. He stood and winced from the cramped muscles. He really was going to have to work those out before this afternoon.

"You eat," Nanao commanded as they walked over to the table. "I'm going to work some healing through your muscles."

"It's fine, Nanao-chan," he said with a shrug. Of course she'd noticed the wince. His Nanao-chan was ever hawk eyed when it came to these things. She just snorted and pressed some kido down over his shoulder blades as he sat. He held in a groan as his shoulders relaxed. "I lied. This is excellent. Please continue," he teased. She worked her hands down his arms, and Shunsui enjoyed the sensation of all his aches fading away under her ministrations.

"I'm afraid I won't be much help in this fight besides being a shield," Nanao said quietly after a moment. "Daiki just blinks my kido off."

"It'll be fine," Shunsui said. She dug her fingers into a spot on his lower back that made his muscles scream in protest and then sigh in relief. "We were caught by surprise the first time. This time I'll take him out," he assured with more confidence then he really had.

The rest of the morning was spent quietly eating and just being in each other's company. Nanao had started muttering to herself about kido at some point and Shunsui let her concentrate on the off chance it would make a difference. He'd already made his decision in regards to her anyway. He couldn't stand to see one more woman hurt on his account, especially not this woman. His Nanao-chan was quicker and smarter than most people gave her credit for, given enough time she'd find a way out of here. He'd just have to guarantee her the time to find that way, regardless of whether she wanted it or not. On the upside she wouldn't be able to kill him for it if he was already dead.

Daiki returned promptly at midday with their swords, and Shunsui felt whole again strapping Katen Kyoukotsu around his waist once more. It'd been a long time since he'd been separated from his blades. Nanao argued with Daiki for a while until the man begrudgingly returned the clothes she'd arrived in and let her change in the hallway before they proceeded. Shunsui would have liked to believe she was as upset by Daiki's scent on her as he was, but knowing his practical Nanao-chan she probably just thought her fitted clothes would be better for fighting in. They followed the man out of the house and across a carefully tended garden to an open training field.

"I need a word with you," Shunsui said casually when they arrived. "Family business."

Daiki gave him a bored look and Nanao gave him a suspicious one, but in the end they took a few steps away from her.

"Well?" Daiki asked.

"You want Nanao alive," Shunsui stated and the man nodded his assent. "I also want her unharmed."

"Your point being?" Daiki asked.

"This fight is between me and you," Shunsui said. "She plans on using herself as a shield. I would prefer if you could take her safely out of the fight with a binding kido at the start."

Daiki glanced over at Nanao who was now openly glaring at them both and then looked back at him. "You are more honorable than your ancestor ever was. I will comply with this request. The woman will not be harmed. I will bind her at the start, and then you and I will end this."

Shunsui nodded and made his way back over to Nanao. "What was that?" she hissed as Daiki strode to the other side of the field.

"Just man talk, sweet Nanao-chan," Shunsui said trying to keep his tone light. "Nothing to worry yourself about."

"Whatever it was," she said glaring. "I'm going to want to kill you for it later, aren't I?"

He released an honest chuckle and shot her a fond smile. "Perhaps," he said, but he would be happy just to have a later for her to try to kill him in. "Get ready."

Both of them drew their blades and prepared for the fight. With Daiki's power level there was no point in starting with them sheathed.

* * *

Nanao drew Kage and threw another cautious look at Shunsui. She knew him well enough to know that whatever he'd said to Daiki she wasn't going to like. They would have to end this quickly or not at all. Shunsui took a side step that put him half in front of her and she rolled her eyes. Some things never changed.

Nanao switched her focus and reached out to her blade's spirit. Can we fire off an attack fast enough that he won't be able to counter?

He countered even when we had the element of surprise on our side, Kage answered coolly. Hide behind your Taicho like always, Kage advised.

Nanao snarled at that comment and felt Shunsui's eyes flicker towards her. She shrugged and they both turned their attention back to Daiki as he took his position across from them. A moment later Daiki fired off the first attack and Nanao was shocked when Shunsui hesitated and then moved into its path.

Nanao didn't pause, she slammed into his side and shoved him a half step out of the way taking the kido directly and feeling it slam down around her limbs and toss her a few feet out of the main training field. She saw the apology in Shunsui's eyes and cursed him as she realized she'd done exactly what he'd expected and gotten herself taken out of the fight in the first blow.

"Now we begin," Daiki said quietly. Shunsui turned his back on her moving into his first release without hesitation as his opponent started his charge. Power washed over the field and Nanao tried to focus on the current problem instead of how she was going to seriously beat Shunsui senseless when they got out of this.

Fool, her zanpaktuo said.

Shut up, she growled already angry enough at herself. Can we break it?

Of course, Kage said. Simply move the binding to another spot in space.

At least the element of surprise will be back on our side, Nanao thought bitterly as she released Kage and concentrated. She'd never have broken the kido if she'd been bound without her sword in her hand, and she thanked kami for small favors. As it was she wouldn't have to break the spell, simply move it wholly intact off of her. Nanao reached out and felt the space around her. It's strange, she noticed frowning. The whole area is strange.

We are within an alternate dimension with a small finite space, her blade commented, of course it is different.

Nanao felt a shockwave throw the ground below her into upheaval and her eyes went back to the fight. Both men were already bleeding and Shunsui had the serious face on that she'd so rarely seen in the past. Shunsui called a color and charged forward. Daiki hadn't even released yet. Despite Shunsui obviously having landed hits Nanao just didn't see how they could win when Daiki decided to get serious. The power levels were just too unevenly matched. If the idiot hadn't of felt the overbearing need to get her out of the fight she could at least be helping as a distraction. Honestly the fact that he'd chosen to do that was more telling than anything. He had let her fight at his side before when he was assured of a win. He must already be convinced there was a possibility of defeat if he thought the best option was to keep her out of it completely. It was the Winter War all over again.

"Bastard," she muttered. She refocused and shifted the bindings off of her. The fight had both men so thoroughly distracted they didn't seem to even notice her initial release. Given there was so much reiatsu flooding the area that she felt nearly smothered by it without it even being aimed at her. Another shockwave rattled the ground as the men's swords met and Nanao struggled to keep her feet.

We can't win this way, she thought desperately.

And if you can't win in a fair fight, her blade prompted.

Fight dirty, she admitted falling back on old Rukongai schools of thought. But how? A shot of kido went flying by her nearly scorching her right side as she threw herself back and out of the way. Idiot men. If she'd still been tied up she'd be in more danger then if she could move freely in the fight.

We'll only get one shot at this, Nanao thought watching the men clash again and Shunsui take a vicious cut to his right side. His second blade came up and took a good slice out of Daiki's face before they separated again. At this rate he was going to have to go bankai soon and Daiki was barely looking beat. She felt another flood of power and the rocks and shrubs nearest to the field got torn up and thrown back. Nanao had to crouch and plant her feet and fist into the ground to hold her position. Kyouraku danced through it but she quickly realized Daiki had performed his first release. A kido barrier went up around Daiki and Shunsui's blades barely nicked it.

He'll shrug off my shikai, Nanao realized with horror.

You can't beat him, her blade agreed.

"Not helpful," she growled. Kage fell silent and Nanao desperately tried to think of a spell combo or maneuver that could turn the tide of battle. Power rolled over her again as Shunsui finally shattered the barrier and their blades met. She felt the power swirl and bounce back and she cursed the confined space of the dimension they were trapped in. Her mind stuck on that thought and then she had it. Concentrating, she slipped into her own inner world and hoped no wild attacks would get her while she was not focusing on the fight.

Inky black night engulfed her, and Nanao could see her breath on the air as she stood in the bare forest of her inner soul. The stripped branches of the trees above her didn't move in the slightest despite a cold wind brushing past her. The moon and the blue blaze of a fire at the center of the forest were the only light and the fire the only movement besides her. Stepping into the circle of light cast by the hot blue flame she saw the shadowed and hooded figure of her soul slayer. She'd never gotten a proper look at him and wasn't sure she ever wanted to. She'd always thought it said something about her that her inner world was so barren. She'd once rudely asked Shunsui about his when she was a child and didn't know any better, and he'd laughingly told her it felt like the best and brightest spring day that ever existed. She'd lied and told him hers felt like the library. She was sure he'd seen through it, but she couldn't possibly admit to how dark her inner world was. Only the solitary fire burned hot and bright.

"Can we break the dimension?" Nanao asked Kage as she stood opposite him. He made no move to come closer to the light and she respected his space.

"Your release is limited," Kage said in that voice that sounded so much like a memory and an echo that it still always made her question if he'd spoken at all or if she'd simply being talking to herself all these years. "You've moved energy to where you wanted it within space, never moved space itself, and never from one dimension to another. You might as well have tried to open a gate to the living world from Soul Society. You don't have the power or the control, not in shikai."

"So help me," Nanao said. "We're going to lose. If we can break through the dimension we'll have all of the Gotei 13 at our back."

"Your fear of what you could become if you wield me has hobbled you," Kage said, and the cold around her sank deeper into Nanao's bones. "I am not a toy to be played with when it suits your need."

"You know this kind of power is illegal," Nanao growled having had this fight many times over the years with her zanpakutou. "We'd either be thrown in the Maggot's Nest or be made into the Gotei 13's assassin and be assigned to slaughtering people in their beds.

"It's not them you are afraid of," Kage said simply.

"Then what am I afraid of?" she yelled. She needed bankai and she needed it now.

"Until you can answer that, I cannot aid you," Kage answered. Suddenly Nanao found herself back on the battlefield, being unceremoniously thrown out of her own inner world.

Shunsui was bleeding heavily from one side. Daiki was sporting wounds too, but nothing like Shunsui. If he didn't go bankai soon he'd be defeated. It didn't appear that Daiki had even been taxed yet so it would be a waste regardless. They were outmatched. Their only chance was breaking through the dimension.

"Help me," she hissed, but only received silence as a response. She knew it would come to this one day. Shunsui himself had occasionally pressed her for why she didn't try harder to achieve bankai. She'd told him her zanpakutou was difficult to converse with, but it'd never being completely true. Kage had always urged her to use him more, but the problem with her soul slayer was that it always demanded absolute honesty. For a woman who had spent most of her life lying about who she was and how she felt, who had been trained since day one to always be in control, letting that kind of honesty out had always been difficult.

Shunsui took a hit and blood splattered across the field. He went down to his knees and barely regained his footing in time to avoid the next attack.

"Lay down and die with honor," Daiki snarled, backing off a pace as Shunsui threw the spinning top wind blades at him.

"This doesn't have to be this way," Shunsui argued, still trying to make the man see reason. "No one has to die here. The man you want revenge on is long since dead."

"Not to me," Daiki said stonily before dodging another attack and firing off a kido that Nanao could feel the heat from even out of its direct line of fire. Shunsui's right sleeve caught fire and he ripped the fabric loose without blinking.

I'm afraid of losing him, Nanao admitted quietly. I'm afraid of loosing all of it. I'm afraid of being totally alone and abandoned. I'm afraid that if I do what my zanpakutou will allow, they'll put me in a solitary jail cell or ship me off to the Covert Ops to be a lone assassin. I'm afraid that I'll lose everything I've gained, friends and family. That I'll be truly alone. And I'm afraid of what I could become if not for their influence, of what my father saw in me, of what the soutaicho saw in me as a child. I'm frightened of the killer I could be if given the opportunity.

The killer is in us all, Kage whispered back.

Yes, but I would have the power to be so very good at it, Nanao answered calmly knowing the truth in her own confession. I'm not like Shunsui. I don't see the good in everyone. It would be easy.

It would have been easy, Kage corrected. All those years ago when you were so very frightened and so very alone, when your only source of support had been taken from you by circumstance. It would have been easy when you had not known love and kindness, when you were a moldable child. Your Taicho destroyed that possibility in you though. You fear things that will never come to pass.

They will never happen because I will not let them, Nanao agreed. Because I will not become that creature that follows orders without thought. Because I was his and the 8th's and I was taught more than to be a soldier. And if they try to take me, if they try to put me away in some quiet secret corner, Shunsui won't stop until he's found me. Nor will my brother, or Rangiku, or Jyuushiro. No matter what happens there are people that love me and will split the world in two to be at my side, as would I to be at theirs. I have nothing left to fear.

Yes, Kage crowed in her mind. You have nothing to fear.

"Help me," Nanao whispered quietly, changing the hold on her tanto. She felt Kage surround her and fill her, felt the power welling up in her and screaming to come out. Shadowed hands fell on her own, strengthened her hold and the power surged up around her. "Bankai."

The men must have felt it at the last moment, that shriek of power being let loose. Their attention shifted to her and Daiki took a defensive stance, but it was not him she was interested in.

Nanao could feel the space around her humming, each molecule singing its location. She let her eyes slip closed as she made sense of all the tingling energy and matter. There. She slammed her blade into open air and felt the contact as it sliced through the very fabric of space sinking into it up to the hilt.

Follow your instinct, Kage instructed. Space bends to your will. Make it kneel.

"Shunsui," she said quietly, forcing her eyes back open again. He was at her side in an instant.

"Nanao-chan," he started, worry creasing his bloodied face.

"Hold on," she said cutting him off shortly. She could feel Daiki starting an attack. He obviously didn't know what was happening, but disliked it either way. She could literally sense the spiritual particles moving and being gathered and formed into a kido of his control. If she'd had more time she would have simply reveled in the feel of it, but she did not. Nanao fisted her free hand into Shunsui's uniform and then screamed as she ripped her blade across the fabric of space itself. There was a moment when she thought it would resist her, when she could feel Daiki's kido rushing at them and thought all was lost, but Kage's hand on her own steadied her and together they rent the outer shell of the dimension apart. She could only pray that their dimension lay on the other side and not some horrible void.

Pressure exploded like a burst balloon and both her and Shunsui were thrown through the ragged slash between worlds to the ground on the other side. Nanao felt Shunsui roll them and crush her body beneath his as a blazing kido burned above their heads where they had been standing not moments before. They both moved just as quickly to regain their feet and comprehend their new surroundings.

Before them stood a jagged gash in the air, almost like the ones a Menos created when entering the living world. Through it they could see a stunned Daiki, and they took advantage of his astonishment to glance around.

"It's Kyouraku lands," Shunsui said panting next to her. "About a kilometer from the shrine. What did you do?"

"I don't know that now is the time," Nanao said feeling her legs wobble as the power surge she'd just used drained out of her.

"Running away like cowards," Daiki screeched pacing towards them.

"Can you close it?" Shunsui demanded.

Nanao took internal stock of her power levels and the exhausted burn working its way through her system and shook her head. "I doubt it. I barely managed the first move."

Shunsui pressed her back behind him and raised his swords again as Daiki approached. "Go and get help," he ordered.

"I'm not leaving you," Nanao argued back. "And you aren't my Taicho so you can't make me."

"Nanao," he roared at her. "We can't win like this."

"Then run with me," she said and tugged on the back of his uniform hard.

"I can't risk him killing innocents in between," Shunsui answered.

"Then I guess we're still getting reincarnated together," she bit out stubbornly. They both shuffled back across the field as Daiki advanced on the tear. Nanao lit a kido in her hand and cursed silently as it flickered. She was exhausted and she wasn't sure she'd even be able to use Kage successfully anymore at this rate. Guess this is why people prefer to find their bankai during training instead of in the middle of an important fight, she though sarcastically to herself.

Daiki threw another horrendously powerful kido at them and they dodged in opposite directions as the kido burned into the ground where they'd been standing and threw up bits of earth in every direction. "My name will be cleansed," Daiki growled. "I will not let you walk away from this."

"Come on then," Shunsui said trying to pull the man's attention to himself. "End this."

Daiki raised his sword and released his bankai. The force of it drove Nanao to her knees without it ever being directed at her. Shunsui fared a bit better, but the power was insane.

Several things happened at once then. Daiki charged into an attack just as blurs of white and black took up positions around the field they were standing in. Nanao recognized Ukitake landing at Shunsui's side and breathed out a sigh of relief. Backup had made it after all. Jyuushiro's own blades came out and Nanao gratefully let the wash of familiar power flood over her.

Then Daiki crossed the threshold between dimensions and everything paused in his headlong rush. The two Taicho's raised their blades, but it was unnecessary as the man decayed right before their eyes. Hair and eyes were the first to fall and disintegrate. Skin shriveled and flaked. Bone was exposed and then crumbled. In a few moments time only dust and a rusted blade remained. The wind picked up and Nanao felt the last of Daiki's remains brush against her face and exposed arms as the wind rushed the pile of dust away.

"What the hell was that?" Rangiku's voice demanded from behind her and Nanao blinked to find her friend so close.

"Was that you?" Shunsui asked turning to look at Nanao in shock.

"The stasis spell," Nanao said feeling woozy, but her brain racing over all the possibilities. "When he stepped between dimensions he stepped out of the stasis spell that had been keeping him alive and un-aging for all that time. The years of decay he would have suffered in this dimension simply must have caught up to him all at once."

"You're sure?" Shunsui asked, seemingly ready for Daiki to pop out from anywhere and declare it all a trick.

"How should I know?" Nanao demanded trying clumsily to get to her feet and feeling her energy just pour out of her. "But I don't see you coming up with any better theories," she got out before the world went blurry. She heard Kage calmly say, rest now. Then everything went black.

* * *

**A/N: As always tell me what you think! And shameless self-plug, if you haven't read my new one-shot _An Affair_ check it out and let me know if you like it.**


	44. Mourning

Nanao woke up in a room of the 4th division feeling fine. A bit tired, but otherwise fine. She supposed it was to be expected considering she really hadn't been a part of the fight itself, she'd just used a burst of energy she wasn't trained or prepared to use. She swung her feet off the bed and glanced around the barren room giving it a minute for the dizzy spell to pass. She was more than tired of fainting. Finding no one in the room, Nanao closed her eyes and sought out Shunsui's reiatsu. She found it strong and close by. She slipped out of the bed and did a cursory search for her clothes. They seemed to be nowhere to be found so she satisfied herself with the thin white yukuta the 4th had already put her in and quietly moved down the hallway.

Three doors down she quietly opened the door and moved into Shunsui's room. No one was in there either, and Nanao was surprised to not find at least Ukitake next to him. He was bandaged and obviously beaten up, but didn't look like he'd have a horrible recovery ahead of him. No worse than other fights he'd been in at least. Moving her eyes the last few lengths up to his face she found him awake and watching her as she looked him over.

"Like anything you see, Nanao-chan?" he tried to joke, but it came out flat and forced.

"Are you alright?" she asked taking the seat next to him.

"I'll be fine," he answered. She could feel his heavy gaze settle on her when she looked down to fidget with her hands. "How are you feeling? The first bankai can be draining."

"Tired, but otherwise well," she said finally looking up and meeting his eyes. "Do they," she started and then stopped herself.

"I told them you did something funny with the kido encasing the dimension," he said with a shrug and a wince as the cut on his arm pained him. "I was in the middle of a fight. I couldn't be sure what you did. If you claim nerves and adrenaline you should be able to blame it on something plausible, and even if they still don't entirely believe you they won't be able to prove anything else happened. I'm assuming the fact that your shikai increases your kido strength is untrue as well?"

"It's always been spatial manipulation," Nanao answered honestly with a sigh. She glanced around and prayed no one was eavesdropping. "It was easy to pass off as enhanced kido as my spells got where they were going instantly and didn't loose any power or time in between. If no one was watching closely it could just be an enhanced spell."

"You should have told me," Shunsui said quietly. "Did you really think I would sell you out to Yama-jii?"

Nanao let out a bark of laughter. "Quite the opposite actually," she said. "I knew you would keep my secret, and if it ever got out then you would go down with me for knowledge of illegal kido casting."

"You know they wouldn't lock you up for it if it is part of your zanpaktou's power," Shunsui stated. "They're more likely to use that as a threat to ship you off to the covert ops and use that illegal power to its fullest potential."

"I'm aware," Nanao agreed not at all shocked that he'd come to the same conclusions as her so quickly.

"Then you should have told me," Shunsui argued. "Then I would have at least had a clue if they'd found out and tried to maneuver you out of the 8th. That lack of knowledge could have cost us greatly."

"You'd have put a stop to it regardless of knowing the facts or not," Nanao defended. "You never would have let them remove me from the 8th. Even with a legitimate excuse. Keeping you in the dark was the best way to protect you."

"Knowledge is power," Shunsui said.

"Yes, and you already have enough power over me," Nanao said tartly.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" he asked coolly.

"You intentionally had Daiki knock me out of the fight with a binding spell," Nanao accused.

"I couldn't risk it."

"I thought I'd made myself pretty clear about my desires."

"I couldn't have one more ruined life on my shoulders."

"It wasn't your choice to make," Nanao growled. "It wasn't on your shoulders. I am not your responsibility. For kami sake Shunsui, I'm a grown woman and I can take care of myself, and more than that I am the only one that gets to decide how my life goes. Do you think I would have thanked you if you'd lost and left me to be raped by him? I would have never forgiven you, and I never thought there would be something that I couldn't forgive you for."

"He set her on fire, Nanao," Shunsui said seriously, and Nanao heard that dead edge enter his tone. "He set a pregnant woman on fire for no crime other than existing. I could not bear watching the same happen to you. Hate me if you wish for that, but I couldn't take that chance."

Nanao sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose feeling a headache coming on and another wave of fatigue almost overwhelm her. "I'm sorry about Kiyoko-san and the baby," she said trying to remain calm. "But I'm not her, and I'm not Yadomaru-san, and I'm not anyone else you think you've let down in the past. I'm just me and you never seem able to see that without seeing everyone that's come before me. And there were oh so many before me."

"I see you, Nanao," he answered softly. "I see you, and only you, and I can't abide the thought of one day seeing only your shadow on the next woman I fail because I couldn't protect you. You're the one person where failure is utterly unacceptable, even if you hate me for it. It has nothing to do with your capabilities and everything to do with my insecurities."

"You can't protect the whole world," Nanao said meeting his eyes. "You can't bear all the blame."

"Who else was there to blame? It was my family that created this mess. My family that got an innocent woman, an innocent child, murdered," he said and she heard the catch in his voice as he struggled to control his own emotions.

"Your family isn't you," she comforted rising from her seat and touching his face. "Your ancestor's mistakes aren't yours. You were born into it. You're the victim, not the culprit."

"That doesn't make them any less dead," he said fiercely.

"And no amount of blame will bring them back either," Nanao countered quietly. "You should get some rest."

"As my Nanao-chan wishes," he said passively, obviously not wanting anymore fighting either.

"It isn't your fault," she repeated although she knew it wouldn't get through to him. She'd seen that look in his eyes when Lisa had disappeared all those years ago. Only time would mend some of those wounds. He closed his eyes as she resumed her seat, but she could tell he wasn't sleeping. She sighed after twenty minutes of quiet stretched between them and rose from her chair.

"Are you leaving?" he asked cracking one eye open to look at her.

"No," Nanao said moving over to his bedside. "But I'm exhausted and that chair is terrible, so move over."

"This is strictly against regulation," he noted dryly, sliding over all the same.

"Unohana Taicho can yell at you," Nanao said with a shrug.

"Why me?" he asked surprised.

"Like they'll ever believe it was my idea," Nanao answered smugly as she crawled into the bed beside him.

"Sneaky, Nanao-chan," he said with a small smile. He didn't wrap himself around her like he might have at one time in the past, but he left their bodies touching and that was fine with her.

"Now get some rest," Nanao commanded. "You're injured you know."

Several more minutes passed and Nanao actually felt herself drifting off, which hadn't been her intention. She'd been hoping more to offer him comfort than the other way around.

"Nanao-chan?" he asked quietly.

"Mmm-hmm?"

"I'm proud of you, you know," he said. "The first bankai is an achievement, especially when you've been so adamant against practicing with your blade."

"It felt good," Nanao said with her own small grin. She shuddered just remembering the rush of power and the feeling of all her senses being extended. "It was the right time. I had to know who I was, and what I was capable of, and the choices I would make with those capabilities before I was ready to master it. Every time I gain more power I'm always surprised at the weight of responsibility it carries with it."

"That's how you know you're doing it the right way," Shunsui said and she could hear the satisfaction in his tone.

"I had a good teacher," she conceded. "I mean he was a lazy drunkard, but he occasionally knew what he was talking about."

"Yare, if you're just going to insult me when I'm being complimentary you can go to sleep," he said trying to put on a teasing tone. Nanao just smiled slightly, and they both settled again to try and get some rest.

* * *

It'd been three weeks since she'd woken up in the hospital. Three weeks of long interrogations, offers to join the kido corps once more, which were more like vague threats, and trips out to the Rukongai to deal with the yakuza relations. The only good that had really come out of this situation was that the Watanabe family had been impressed by her and was interested in hosting a shinigami ambassador of their own. She'd spoken to the Soutaicho about it and he'd seemed mildly open to the idea. Other than that her nights had been filled with collecting a drunk Taicho and making sure he got home safely. Shunsui was handling the recent tragedies much like he'd handled Lisa's disappearance, which mainly consisted of being drunk as much a humanly possible.

She sighed as she shunpoed out to another dingy bar far out in the Rukongai in the wee morning hours. Jyuushiro had gotten him for the past two nights and she didn't want him out that much with his health. Nanao slipped into the bar and glared off the leering looks and avoided the grabbing hands. She was really going to have to speak to Shunsui about frequenting more upscale places.

Nanao found him in a back booth thoroughly wasted and surrounded by some less than morally upstanding women. Given Shunsui seemed to be barely aware of their presence. He was staring down at his sake broodingly as one of the women tried to touch his arm and make him look up at her.

Nanao rapped on the end of the table with her knuckles to get the women's attention. "Get lost," she said coldly.

"Who the hell are you?" one woman asked nastily.

"Get lost," she repeated too tired to be tactful. She flooded the surrounding area with spirit pressure just to give them a hint and waited patiently while they shuffled out of the booth.

"That wasn't very nice Nanao-chan," Shunsui chastised with a slur in his voice.

"Would you rather stay here with them?" Nanao asked. She reached for his arm and started trying to urge him out of the booth.

"As opposed to staying with my lovely Nanao-chan?" he asked with a drunken grin. "Of course not."

"Come on then," she said helping him stagger to his feet. He leaned heavily on her and she supported him as they wandered out of the bar. Once they were outside she got a better hold on him and shunpoed them back to the Seireitei.

"Nanao-chan is trying to take advantage of me," he sing songed when he realized she'd brought him to her apartment and not his own home.

"Yes, Shunsui," she said rolling her eyes. "Lets get you into bed and in the morning I'll make breakfast."

"That's because my Nanao-chan loves me," he sang nearly falling over as she pulled off his shoes.

"Then you and I are going to have a talk," Nanao muttered to herself trying to restrain her anger at him. She barely got his haoris and hat off before he collapsed into the bed. She started to move away when he caught her hand.

"Are you leaving me?" he asked. He tried to focus his eyes on her and the depression she saw there broke her heart a little.

"No," she said letting one hand push his hair back from his face. "I just need to do a few things. I'll be right back."

By the time she came back with water and aspirin he'd already fallen into a restless sleep. She woke him up to get the pills down and then let him fall back asleep. Hopefully he'd be open to listening to some reason in the morning. Boo hopped up on the bed and she raised an eyebrow at the cat. He generally stayed as far away as possible from Shunsui unless he was trying to damage the man. Boo circled once and curled up at Shunsui's side, but not before giving her a look that clearly said she wasn't allowed to tell anyone about this. Nanao laughed quietly and stroked the cat's head before going out to the couch and settling down for the rest of the morning hours.

A few hours later Nanao woke up with a cramp in her neck and got up to check on Shunsui. He was still passed out in her bed and she decided to let him sleep. He'd be hung over, but hopefully mainly functional. She spent a couple hours going through a lazy morning routine as it was Saturday and she had nowhere in particular to be. Finally she started making a heavy breakfast that she knew he liked best when he was hung over. Years of nursing him through hangovers had narrowed down the menu to perfection for getting him well as fast as possible. She finished quickly and did a brief wash up before walking into her bedroom and watching the sleeping man for a few moments.

"Shunsui," she said finally, moving further into the room. Boo lifted his head and watched her advance. "Shunsui," she repeated shaking his shoulder and getting no response. "Fine, the old fashioned way then," Nanao murmured to herself. She grabbed the glass she'd brought in the night before and dumped what was left of the water in it over his head while growling harshly, "Kyouraku Taicho."

"What?" he asked sharply struggling out of sleep. "Jyuu's a liar. I didn't do it! Ugh, I feel awful."

"You drank enough to kill a man so I'm not surprised," Nanao said crossing her arms and glaring down at him.

"And my Nanao-chan came to collect me," he tried to coo.

"Jyuushiro-san had done enough this week," she said with a shrug.

Shunsui glanced around his surroundings blearily and said in surprise, "We're at your place." He did a double take at his side and asked, "Is your cat not trying to kill me?"

"I guess even he can take pity on something as pathetic as you are right now," Nanao said with a shrug as the cat got up to stretch and bound out of the room.

"Please tell me that's hang over breakfast I smell," he groaned.

"It is," she said helping him up into a sitting position.

"Why are you being so nice?" he asked suspiciously.

"As this is your last hang over for a while," Nanao commented as he got to his feet, "I see no reason to be particularly mean. Besides you never bother to listen to me until after you've eaten."

"What was that?" he asked trying to shoot a grin at her and pretend everything was normal.

"Eat, you idiot," she commanded, herding him towards the kitchen.

"Always so pushy," he answered wincing as she touched an injury.

"Should that still be hurting you three weeks later?" she asked with a frown.

"I may have fallen the other night and opened it up again," he said nonchalantly.

Nanao added that to her list of growing complaints and tried to be suitably kind while he woofed his breakfast down.

"Alright, let me have it," he said, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his head.

"I'm not going to yell at you," she said. She started collecting his plates and putting them in the sink for later.

"Really?" he asked. "Because generally when you stick around till the morning and don't just put me to bed and leave, it's to scold me."

"And it obviously hasn't done any good yet," she said.

"So what do you want, Nanao-chan?" he asked.

"I want you to train me," Nanao said calmly.

"You want me to what?"

"I am currently in need of a sword fighting trainer," Nanao said reclaiming her seat, "as my last trainer is not currently speaking to me due to the fact that I slept with my ex. Beyond that, training isn't worth much if I can't even use my shikai or banki, so you are currently the only candidate."

"I thought you were always of the opinion I would be too easy on you?" he asked trying to find the trick.

"You will be more than likely," Nanao said honestly, "but then again my sword's power is going to require you to pay attention."

"Fine," he said. "Is that really all?"

"Well, I'll require a lot of intensive training," Nanao said. "Considering how many years I've put it off."

"Ok?" he answered obviously confused.

"I'll be needing a training session daily," she said. "As my schedule is already full with other training and my job, we'll be starting nightly around 10 PM."

"That's a bit intensive," he said with a small grin. "This wouldn't have anything to do with stopping me from going to the bars, would it?"

"I'd prefer you sober when we're working with swords," she said coldly. "If you think you can handle that."

"I'm not done mourning," he said darkly.

"You're done mourning that way," Nanao answered sharply. "Drinking yourself to death and worrying all the people who care about you isn't going to fix the problem or bring them back."

"It was my child," he said glaring at her table.

Nanao sighed. "And what happened was horrible," Nanao conceded. She couldn't even imagine what he was going through. Despite the circumstances Nanao knew how Shunsui felt about children of his own. He'd have loved that baby to pieces. There was nothing she could do to help that pain, but he couldn't continue on like this, and she couldn't watch him destroy himself. "But when you wake up in the morning does it make it hurt any less? Everyone needs you here. The 8th is falling apart. The Soutaicho pulled me in yesterday to ask if I'd consider taking my fukutaicho position back as it's gotten so bad."

"And?" Shunsui said lifting his head from where he was looking down at the table.

"And I said no," Nanao said simply. "I'm not coming back. I suggested he look into some of the other divisions and see if there was someone at a fukutaicho level for you. I believe there is someone in the 5th he said might do. I'd suggest Rukia-san again, but it seems Kuchiki Taicho has allowed Jyuushiro-san to promote her within the 13th. If you want to spend time with me you can do it during training."

"Maybe I don't want the new fukutaicho," Shunsui said.

"Then you need to get it together," she said calmly. "The 8th needs you, and as far as I'm aware there isn't a child Nanao-chan to pull it back together again. Life goes on."

"It can't be that bad," Shunsui said.

"There's talk of disbanding the 8th," Nanao said. "The problem was probably compounded by my refusal to return."

"Then you really don't care if they disband us?" he asked surprised.

"I'm not a little girl anymore, Taicho," she said sharply. "I'm not going to enable you for lack of knowing what else to do. If you don't care about the 8th, then drink yourself to death. That's your choice. I'm not your keeper. I love the 8th and will grieve its disbanding, but it's not my division anymore, and frankly the members of the 8th deserve better than a Taicho who is too drunk to care."

"Yare, yare, Nanao-chan, I get it," he said. "I'll allow the fukutaicho. I'll do some paperwork. Satisfied?"

"Barley," she answered. Silence reigned as they sat there and finally she broke the tense peace. "I heard the king was so relieved to have the mirror from the imperial regalia back he offered you one of his daughters in marriage."

Shunsui snorted. "You should have seen the looks on my brother's and father's faces when they heard that. It was almost as good as their faces when I turned the offer down."

"It could have been a good deal for you," Nanao said shrugging. "You could have just married in and been rich and drunk for the rest of your life."

"I get it, Nanao-chan," he growled. "I'll cut back on the drinking."

"Your friends are worried about you," she said in simple defense. "Even your mother is concerned. She tried to check with me to see if there was a time she could get workers into your home to undecorated the room she'd had made up for Kiyoko-san and the baby."

"She did it the other day while I was at Jyuu's," he admitted with a hurt tone. "Came home and found it as if they'd never existed. Funny how little I wanted them around until they were gone. Even now I find it hard to mourn her passing beyond that of an innocent life, but the baby." He trailed off and his look was faraway.

"I'm sorry Shunsui," Nanao said, "I should have thought and stopped your mother."

"It doesn't matter," he said shaking his head. "I should be getting home."

"Shunsui," she said and stopped when she realized she had no idea what she wanted to say. "I'm here if you need me."

"I know," he said with a sad smile as he moved towards her entrance way. Retrieving the haoris she'd hung there he slung them back around his shoulders before putting the hat back on. "Thank you for breakfast."

"Of course," she said. She wished there was something she could say to make him feel better.

"I'll be seeing you tonight then?" Shunsui asked quietly as he opened the door.

"Huh?" she asked momentarily thrown.

"I thought you said you'd be needing training nightly. No time better to start."

She gave him a weak smile. "Tonight then," she answered. "You better not go easy on me."

"I'm sure you'll find a way to make me do what you want," he said. "Nanao-chan has always excelled at that."

* * *

**A/N: So unless I do some intensive editing or find a glaring omission I've only got one chapter left. Can you believe I'm actually going to complete this? As always review and let me know what you think.**


	45. Side by Side

Nanao ripped off the torn sleeve that was by now just getting in her way and shifted her stance. Blood ran hot down her arm and she concentrated on firing off the next kido using Kage to place it right between Shunsui's shoulder blades. With over a month of training between the two of them he'd quickly found a way to harden his reiatsu throughout himself and stop her from getting kido through the body shield at least in shikai. It didn't mean she couldn't explode things right next to him though. Since they'd started this training Shunsui still held back on her, but not enough to make it ineffective.

He moved out of the way of her latest blast and watched her warily. "Is your arm alright?" he called.

"It's fine," she said back. "Stop worrying about me, and worry about yourself." She released another blast and aimed it at his feet. It was enough to throw him off and flush him to the left instead of the right. She was there in a flash step and he blocked her blade with his shorter one.

"Clever," he said, "but not clever enough." Nanao found herself pinned with her back against his front and his blade at her throat. "Do you want to try Bankai out or call it a day?"

"I'm worn out for today," Nanao admitted as he released her from his hold.

"Long day in the Rukongai?" he asked sheathing his swords and moving to the water they'd stowed on the edge of the training field.

"I've been training Jun-san a bit before we send him to the Watanabe family," she said with a shrug.

"It's nice that Yama-jii is letting you take your work out there to the next level," he commented off handedly. Many of their conversations had taken on a vaguely stilted pretense lately. Often they kept talk to work and training, and Nanao was not enjoying the new level of unfamiliarity. She'd foolishly thought he'd go back to the old flirt he'd always been, that he'd at least mention being together again. She had not expected the distance he put between them and the guarded look in his eyes. She felt like a stranger, and she hated it.

"And how is Arai fukutaicho working out?" she asked, not sure how to keep the conversation going as he handed the water over to her.

"Oh, didn't I tell you? Arai-chan quit last week. Something about sexual harassment and they haven't replaced her yet," Shunsui said with a shrug.

"What did you do now?" Nanao asked. This was the second fukutaicho to quit on him this month.

"I'm hurt, Nanao-chan," Shunsui said grinning. "Why would you think I did anything?"

"When sexual harassment is involved its generally you," Nanao answered rolling her eyes. "If I tried to count the things I should have reported you for we'd be here for the next century."

"It's not my fault the third seat spilled tea on me and I didn't have a change of clothes," Shunsui said unconcernedly. "I still had my pants on and I didn't even hit on her. Just said good morning." Nanao stifled a laugh and handed the water back to him.

"Does Nanao-chan think that's funny?" he asked with a smile in his eyes that she hadn't seen for a while. "I know Nanao-chan would have found it distinctly unfunny and given me a lecture on office protocol had she been the one to find me."

"I'm not your fukutaicho anymore," Nanao said shaking her head and smiling. "If you want to sit around the office half naked I'm not responsible for it. Do as you like, although I don't think the Soutaicho will appreciate it."

"Eh, Yama-jii I can handle," he said lightly. "It was Nanao-chan that scared me."

"Yeah right," she said with a snort. "You did whatever you liked even when I was around."

"That's because I liked to see your reactions," Shunsui admitted. He threw her a lopsided grin and she returned the smile. "I thought you were going to pass out from how red you turned when you tried to find me that one day, and Jyuu and I were at the hot springs naked."

"I was a teenager!" she defended.

"You couldn't even see under the water," he replied with a laugh.

"You offered to get out and sign those papers," Nanao argued.

"I wasn't actually going to do it," he chuckled and then amended, "Probably."

"Well I didn't know that. At least Ukitake-san had the decency to look chastised for being in the hot springs in the middle of the day and he actually had the right to be there with his cough acting up," she said.

"You always give Jyuu leeway you wouldn't dream of giving me. I made your life so hard," he said insincerely.

"And fun," she added. A moment of silence passed between them and she wished they could go back to their old easygoing banter. "Shunsui," she started and felt nerves get the best of her. She stopped and gathered her courage wondering when everything had gotten so strange between them.

"So I'll see you tomorrow night then," he said when she didn't continue. He obviously felt the conversation was over and was ready to head home. "We should probably train with your bankai some."

"Actually the Higurashi are holding their fights tomorrow night," Nanao said feeling like an embarrassed teenager all over again.

"Night off from the training then? I hardly remember what it's like to have one of those," he commented. "Whatever will I do with myself?"

"Well, I was thinking, if you want," she started and then had to physically restrain herself from stubbing her toe in the ground in her nervousness. "I just mean that you'd be welcome to attend if you wanted." She glanced up and tried to meet his eyes, but they were hidden under the brim of his hat.

"Fights aren't really my kind of entertainment, Nanao-chan," he said lightly.

"I know," she said, "but after the fights they tend to hang out, have a few drinks, talk, you know."

"Wasn't the whole point of these training sessions to stop me from drinking?" he asked still not looking at her directly.

"Drinking to excess," she corrected. "And it's been over a month. I hardly think one drink will kill you. Unless you've decided to be sober for the rest of your life?"

"You think that would be a bad thing?" Shunsui asked.

"No," Nanao backtracked. "I didn't mean it like that. I just never thought I'd see the day where you'd become a teetotaler."

"I've had drinks in the past month," he said with a laugh dropping his serious tone. "I was just teasing Nanao-chan."

"You don't have to come," she said defensively. "I just thought it might be fun."

"Are you fighting?"

"Yes, I'll probably go a round or two," she admitted

"I'll think about it."

"Like I said, don't feel obligated," she said feeling rejected and hurt for some reason. A year ago he'd have begged to spend time with her outside of work. She wondered if he'd ever felt like this during all those years she'd turned his invitations down. "If I don't see you tomorrow, I guess I'll see you the next day for training."

"Alright Nanao-chan. Have a good night."

* * *

"Looking for someone Nao-chan?" Mamoru asked sliding up next to her.

"No," Nanao said shortly, leaning back in her seat again. A cheer went up around her and she glanced back at the fight to see one of the men getting knocked out. She'd already fought twice and won both fights. One was easy, the second had left her with bruises and a split lip but had been won in the end.

"You've been distracted all night," Mamoru said lightly.

"I have not," she defended.

"I'm with Moru-kun on this one," Kei said stealing the seat on the other side of her.

"You both need to find other interests than watching me," she grouched as the next fighters entered the ring.

"But you're so much fun to tease," Kei said with a self-satisfied grin.

"You and Kyouraku Taicho would get along," Nanao said shooting him a glare.

"How is he doing?" Mamoru asked as the next fight began. He'd side stepped around the question of her romantic life for the last month and she'd been grateful for it.

"You'd know as well as I would," Nanao muttered.

"Trouble in paradise?" Kei asked.

"You are as bad as a nosey old woman," Nanao said with an eye roll. "Get lost."

"Come on, Moru-kun," Kei said. "I can tell when we're not wanted."

Mamoru messed up her hair affectionately before the two men moved to a better spot to watch the fight. Nanao glared after them and ran her fingers through her hair trying to straighten it out again.

Katen Kyoukotsu is annoyed with him, Kage said next to her ear. Nanao nearly jumped out of her seat feeling the blade materialized at her side. Kage rarely came out and never in such a frivolous situation. It actually had Nanao looking around to see where an attack was coming from.

"What are you talking about?" she hissed getting a strange look from the yakuza next to her, but otherwise being ignored in favor of the fight.

You are distressed that Katen Kyoukotsu's wielder has not come, Kage clarified. He is here hiding his reiatsu quite effectively. Katen Kyoukotsu has given away his location to me.

"And why would Katen Kyoukotsu do that?" Nanao asked scanning the crowd for any sign of her ex-Taicho. She masked her own reiatsu quietly just to be safe before moving through the crowd to try and find him.

Because she is annoyed with him, Kage explained as if it were obvious.

"Why is she annoyed with him? And what do you care? You've never troubled yourself in my personal life before," Nanao murmured pressing through the crowd to get a better vantage point.

Apparently he is annoying when lonely and depressed. As for my concern, I intend to continue training with you. As he is the only one you feel comfortable doing so with, it is in my best interests to keep that particular relationship stable, Kage said as stoically as ever before dematerializing from her side.

Nanao reached the edge of the crowd and searched the perimeter. If she hadn't been looking for him she would have missed him entirely. He stood near one of the exits in an old cheap grey yukuta she'd never seen before. If that wasn't enough to throw her, he'd shaved as well and the effect was startling. Moving towards him she tried not to catch his eye, but at the last minute he noticed her motion and turned towards her. She saw the surprise flash on his face before he masked it with a big goofy fake grin.

"Nanao-chan, I was just looking for you," he said by way of greeting.

"Were you?" she asked coolly, "with your reiatsu clamped down so hard? You could have simply sent me a reiatsu signal and I'd have found you much more effectively."

"I didn't want to upset the crowd with wild reiatsu," he said with a shrug, knowing he'd been caught. "How did you manage to find me?"

"Good eyesight," she lied and could tell he knew by the sharp look he gave her, but he wasn't about to start in on her for it since that would only lead to her badgering him about his own lie. "You shaved," she noted.

"Do you like it?" he asked allowing her to change the topic.

"I'm giving it a few more moments, but I'm pretty sure I hate it," she said cocking her head to the side.

He chuckled at that. "And after all those years you lectured me on a professional appearance," he said.

"You look wrong," she said reaching up to touch his cheek. "You feel wrong."

"And yet I still don't hear an, 'I was wrong'," he said teasingly.

"I was wrong, grow it back," she said sternly. "Why'd you shave it in the first place?"

"Something new," he said.

"It wasn't at all that you were trying to avoid being noticed by me tonight?" she said a bit bitterly.

"Why would I want to avoid my lovely Nanao-chan's notice?" he asked.

"Because you've been avoiding me for more than a month now," she blurted before she could think of something more diplomatic to say.

"I see you every day," he countered.

"Whatever," she growled turning back to the fight still going on as a cheer went up from the crowd. She really didn't want to have this argument in public and especially not in front of the Higurashi. "This is the last fight of the evening and then we'll probably head over to the local bar for drinks. Did you arrive early enough to see any of the other fights?"

"A few," he said lightly. "You should have been able to dodge that fist," he added glancing down at her split lip.

"I was distracted," she said coolly, but internally she was pleased that he'd not only been able to watch her fight without interfering, but had also not offered to heal the cut. Silence settled over them and Nanao sighed as they again entered the now familiar awkward territory. Frustration bubbled up in her and she crossed her arms as one of the fighters went down hard. For a moment she thought the fight was over, but the man clumsily climbed back to his feet. Shunsui watched the fight dully at her side and she felt her frustration grow. "I told you you didn't have to come if you didn't want to," she spit out finally.

"If I had not wanted to come, I wouldn't have come," Shunsui said.

"You don't seem happy to be here," she argued.

"I told you I don't find fighting entertaining, least of all when it includes you," he answered.

"Well I'm done fighting," she said angrily. "So you could at least pretend to be not miserable."

"Sorry, Nanao-chan," he said shooting her a weak smile. "I suppose I should have accepted Rangiku-chan's offer of drinks."

"No," she sighed. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get upset. Can we start over? Hi Shunsui. Glad to see you could make it."

He gave her a nod and replied, "Glad I could come. When do we start drinking?"

A cheer rose up around them and Nanao glanced over to see the fight had ended. "Within the next few minutes," she said shooting him a smile. "Think you'll last that long?"

"I'm known for my stamina," he said with a lewd little grin.

"Really?" Nanao asked, elated to have even the small moment of normalcy. "And see I had heard you'd fallen asleep before you could seal the deal in the past."

"One time, Nanao-chan," he growled shooting her a disgruntled look. "And I had a fever. If you hadn't worked me so hard that day in the office maybe I wouldn't have gotten sick and would have had more energy."

Nanao laughed and hooked her arm through his starting to pull him towards the exit as the crowd started to stream passed them. "Excuses, excuses," she teased. "Just admit that you occasionally can't perform."

"You better not have been spreading those vicious lies around to the other women in the Seireitei," he said glaring at her, but she could see the humor in his eyes. "It's pure slander."

"I only speak the truth," Nanao replied primly. "Between that and the time you lit all those candles for atmosphere and ended up singeing off all the hair on your right arm, you've got quite the reputation."

"One, you promised not to tell anyone about that," he pouted as she led him across the street and into a noisy bar already filling up with yakuza. "And two, that never would have happened if Nanao-chan hadn't been playing quite so rough."

Nanao laughed and released his arm to press further up to the bar. "If you can't take the heat," she shot over her shoulder. "Get out of the kitchen. First round is on me."

"Well perhaps I should be starting rumors of my own," Shunsui said sliding up behind her. Nanao grinned and waved for the bartender's attention. This, this easy back and forth, was what had been missing for months. "Like maybe a story about Nanao-chan's attempt at a lap dance."

Nanao whipped around and glared up him. "I was drunk thanks to whatever Matsumoto slipped into those drinks, and I wouldn't have even tried it if Unohana Taicho hadn't brought up that story about finding you and Ukitake-san in that strip club years ago."

"How did that story have anything to do with the misfortunate dance that happened later that night?" he asked with a chuckle.

"I thought it would be something you'd like," she defended, turning back to the bar to order their drinks quickly. "I figured if I wasn't letting you go to strip clubs anymore I ought to at least try to make up for it. I can't explain drunk logic."

"It would have helped if you'd ever actually seen a lap dance," he said grinning.

"Well excuse me for not frequenting strip clubs," Nanao said rolling her eyes. "I was just trying to make you happy."

"It did make me happy," he said trying to make a serious face and failing miserably.

"Yes, because I made an ass of myself and you found it funny," Nanao said dryly. "At least I had enough sense to do it in private."

"You got a lot of points for effort if nothing else," Shunsui said and she huffed as she passed his drink to him.

"Keep that story to yourself and the candle story stays with me," Nanao bargained.

"Done," he agreed.

"What's done?" Kei asked pushing up next to them.

"Shunsui-san, I believe you've met Kei-san once before," Nanao said trying not to grit her teeth. She'd really not wanted to be interrupted right when things were going so well. Shunsui had actually been giving her real smiles and not those fake things he'd been serving up lately.

"Of course," Shunsui said bowing his head to him. "Nice to see you again."

"Did you watch our girl fight?" Kei asked draping his arm over her shoulders. Nanao shrugged him off and gave him a cold look.

"She did well," Shunsui said neutrally taking a sip of his drink.

"She holds up much better than when she first came to us," Kei agreed with a grin, snatching Nanao's drink and taking a gulp. He tried to hand it back and Nanao just gave him a withering look and didn't take it. She knew what he was doing, trying to drive the wedge deeper between her and the shinigami. For all that Kei sparred with her she was well aware he'd be content to have her owned by the Higurashi. He was also observant. He'd obviously known there was some kind of tension between her and Shunsui and had decided to see if he could use it.

"The other Taichos have taken quite a shine to training her," Shunsui said with a shrug and Nanao smiled internally at the small reminder that she was still firmly with the Gotei 13.

Nanao impulsively reached out for Shunsui's cup and for a split second she thought he was going to refuse her. Then he released the cup into her hands and she took a stiff drink of his sake. She'd regret it later she was sure, as she'd ordered the stronger stuff for him, but if it was enough to annoy Kei it was worth it. "It's only because I'm a fast learner," she said pretending to care about this conversation.

"Well," Kei said with a cold smile that clearly showed this conversation hadn't gone the way he wished. "I'm glad you could make it out, Kyouraku-san. You're always welcome to visit Nanao-san when she's out here."

"I'm always welcome to visit Nanao-chan wherever she is," Shunsui said coolly.

"He does so like to visit at inappropriate moments too," Nanao said with an unconcerned smile, taking another sip of his drink before passing it back to him. "Remember the time you tired to visit me when the SWA had decided to go to the bath house? I thought Unohana Taicho was going to smile you do death. I've never seen you run so quickly in my life."

"Jyuu said he'd seen her at the 1st," Shunsui pouted as they effectively cut Kei out of the conversation simply by referencing a past Kei had no knowledge of. "I didn't think she'd be there, but I'm not dumb enough to risk her wrath."

"I seriously considered inviting the woman over for tea daily after witnessing that," Nanao said with a small laugh. "Oh, Kei-san, I'm sorry we're being rude. The story is a bit hard to follow if you don't know the people involved."

"It's fine," Kei said with a fake smile. "I see someone I need to say hello to anyway. Have a fun evening." He wandered away and they both watched him go.

"Is he still trying to blackmail you into joining them?" Shunsui asked quietly.

"He would if he could," she answered with a shrug. "I've got it handled."

Shunsui just nodded and handed the drink back to her absentmindedly. "Is your brother around? I should say hello and congratulate him on his fight."

"I'm sure we could find him," Nanao said taking a sip, and making no comment on the fact that if he'd seen Mamoru fight he must have been there since at least the second fight of the evening. "Come on, he'll be around here somewhere." She gave a tug on his arm before passing the sake back to him and working their way through the crowd.

The next couple hours were spent pleasantly enough, drinking and mingling. Her brother had even had a friendly conversation with Kyouraku and no one had gotten overly drunk. Nanao found herself quite satisfied with the way the evening had gone as Shunsui and she made their way back to the Seireitei in the wee morning hours.

"Thank you for coming," Nanao said as they approached his home.

"It was fun," he admitted with a lazy grin. Nanao slowed down and he looked at her curiously. "Getting tired?"

"No, it's just that we're almost to your door so I didn't see a rush," Nanao said.

"Obviously I'm walking you home though," Shunsui commented with a frown.

"That's silly," Nanao argued. "Your home is closer. It doesn't make sense for you to go all the way to my apartment and then backtrack."

"Nanao-chan," he started.

"Don't Nanao-chan me," she huffed. "I was the one who asked you out, I was the one that made the plans, and I was the one who bought the drinks, so I'm the one that gets to walk you to your door."

"Ah, so you're the suitor in this situation?" he asked with a laugh.

"Yes," Nanao said firmly as they came to a stop in front of the path that led to his front door. "So no arguing."

"Well, now I just feel cheated," Shunsui said. "I didn't realize I'd been asked on a date. I didn't take proper advantage of the situation."

"You don't get to take advantage," Nanao said shooting him a glare. "Only the person that does the asking gets to try to take advantage."

"Oh? And here I was thinking the line 'do you want to come in for a cup of tea' was especially made for the person who didn't do the asking to try and take advantage," he argued with a grin.

"As I haven't been over to your house in at least a month I highly doubt there is anything in your cabinets at all," she said rolling her eyes. "I'm pretty sure you've been subsisting off the mess hall."

"Ah, Nanao-chan may be right," he admitted with a quirk of his lips. "I suppose this is where we say goodnight then. Get home safe." He planted a chaste kiss on the top of her head and added, "I'll be tracking your reiatsu till you get through the door." Then he turned to walk up the path leaving a stunned Nanao in his wake.

"Are you serious?" she hissed catching up to him in a shunpo step and grabbing his arm.

"You're that upset I'm going to track you?" he asked confused. "It's a basic safety precaution. I don't care how well trained or prepared you are. It costs you nothing. Although I can lie and say I won't if it makes you that angry."

"I don't care about the stupid tracking," Nanao growled. "But this is seriously it? You're just going to say goodnight and walk inside after I admitted asking you out tonight? I know you've been dealing with things and I know it'll take time to get back to normal, but are you honestly not interested in me anymore?"

The look of surprise that crossed his face was genuine and quelled some of her anger. "You were the one who said you didn't want to be with me," Shunsui answered.

"I said I didn't want to be with out when you didn't know how to back off," Nanao argued. "Maybe I'm crazy, but I thought we'd both changed a bit over the last couple months. You're actually training me, and not just that half assed 'I'll always be there to protect you so you don't need to know this and that' kind of training, but honest to kami teaching me what I need to know. You watched both of my fights tonight without interfering or being overbearing about my injuries. And for kami sake there is no way in hell you'd have let me walk home alone with or without tracking a year ago. Beyond that, I know what I'm capable of now. I don't need you to protect me, but that doesn't mean I don't like it occasionally when you do, that I don't enjoy it when you put assholes like Kei in their place so I don't have to. I just. I don't know. I thought it had gotten back to being better between us after a time, and now I'm not sure that's even what you want. I am different. Maybe I'm not what you want anymore." And now that she'd given voice to the fear she'd been avoiding through all of their awkwardness she felt it settle low and uncomfortable in her stomach.

"Nanao," he started then stopped and sighed. At that particular moment the ground could have swallowed her up and she'd have been just fine with it. "I suppose I'm a little surprised. I didn't think you wanted anything to do with me besides training and friendship."

"I needed to know that I could stand on my own two feet, but that doesn't mean I wanted to be alone for the rest of my life," Nanao said crossing her arms.

"It also doesn't mean that I'm the person you want to spend the rest of your life with either," he said seriously. "Nanao-chan you said yourself that I've been holding you back, both personally and professionally. I don't want you waking up one day and realizing I still am."

"Shunsui, you can't hold me back professionally anymore," she said. "I mean you could try, but you haven't shown any intention of it. You've actually helped with my training and at least attempted to get fukutaichos to replace me."

"Both of whom have failed miserably," he said with a laugh.

"We'll try a man next time with a high proficiency in reiatsu detection and a high tolerance for whining," Nanao suggested with a smile.

"Don't tell me you've recommended the last two," he said watching her carefully.

"Not the first," she admitted, "But I did recommend Arai-san. She's excellent at paperwork and for all intents and purposes seemed completely uninterested in either sex. I suppose I just didn't take into account that she may just be offended by you in general regardless of having any personal attraction to you."

"Of course she had a personal attraction to me," he said in mock offense, but then got serious once more. "That's the professional side then, and personally for you, Nanao-chan? Will I be holding you back there?"

Nanao shrugged. "So I haven't dated around. Hisagi-san was nice. He was everything I should want in a boyfriend," she admitted and Shunsui took the comment stiffly. "But I was never in love with him. I guess I just don't see the point in wasting time mooning about just to discover what I already know. I've been in love with you for years, through every up and down, nothing is going to change that. Nothing ever has. You're an idiot and there have been more than enough times when I wished I fell in love with someone sensible, but I didn't, and what's the point in looking for something I already have."

"Ever efficient," he said with a small snort. "So now what?"

"I'm not sure if that means you are interested in me or not," Nanao noted. He'd easily moved around admitting his own feelings on the matter one way or another.

"How could I not be interested in lovely Nanao-chan?" he asked with a goofy grin. "Shall I ask you out now? We could have a picnic in the cherry blossoms and I could read you poetry."

"Stop it," Nanao said fiercely, suddenly more angry than anxious. "If you don't want me anymore, just say it. You won't hurt my feelings, well you will, but I'll get over it. I know I've demanded a lot of you and still expected you to want a relationship that is forever changed. Maybe this isn't the relationship you'd want. Maybe you needed me as I was. So if you don't want it say it now, and with time we'll figure out how to be friends."

He stared at her quietly for a minute and she felt her nerve unravel around her. Was he really going to tell her to walk away? After everything? "I don't want what we had either," Shunsui said slowly and Nanao felt her heart drop.

"Right, ok then," she said quickly turning on her heel. If she used every trick Kuchiki Taicho had taught her she could shunpo home and get in her door before she cried and got upset and thus he wouldn't be tracking her any longer to notice.

"Nanao, wait," he said catching her wrist before she could launch off. "Let me finish."

And kami he deserved that. To have his say when he'd always let her have hers, but she wasn't sure she could make it through that. She already felt the telling sting building behind her eyes, but she took every bit of emotional training she'd forced herself through over the years and turned back to face him.

He touched her chin and made her meet his eyes and Nanao gritted her teeth and waited. "Before I let you lead, because I knew everything was new to you," he started. "If Nanao-chan wanted to just date till time froze over then I was fine with that. I felt like I'd taken something from you all the years you didn't date. Didn't experiment. And it might be selfish now, but I can't tolerate that anymore. We both might die tomorrow. There's always something bigger and badder than us out there waiting no matter how much training and skill either of us has. If you want this, if you want to be together, I don't want to wait around anymore. I want my timeframe. I want to marry you and have a family with you and I can't be patient anymore."

Nanao tried to mask her own surprise as that sunk in. It wasn't that he was rejecting her, it was just that he was rejecting the relationship she'd demanded originally, the hesitant thing they'd begun now more than two years ago. And it had been what she'd needed at the time, but did she still need it now?

"I don't need you to answer me tonight," he said calmly letting his hand drop away from her. "I don't want to force you into anything, and if my demands are unbearable then we can do as you said. We can figure out how to be friends. I just. Life is too short, even our long ones, and I can't spend anymore of it waiting and hoping that one day you'll want the same things I want with you. I can let you walk away Nanao if I must, but I can't keep you within reach and torture myself any longer."

"Yes," Nanao said and felt surer than she had in decades.

"You let me know when you know," he said with a soft smile. He started to turn and this time she stopped him.

"I'm saying yes," Nanao reiterated fiercely. "Although that was a terrible proposal and we need to talk about the family thing."

"Wait, what?" he asked staring at her in genuine confusion.

"If you are asking me to marry you," she said firmly. "And I believe that's what you were asking me. Then I am saying yes, but if you are talking about having kids the second we get married we still have an issue. I want them, but we're just setting things up with the families in the Runkongai. I need to see that through and I can't do it if I have to re-learn shunpo with a waddle because I'm eight months pregnant."

"Are you serious?" Shunsui asked with a frown.

"Is it a deal breaker?" Nanao asked suddenly not so confident. "If I don't want kids right this instant?"

"No, I mean, you're seriously agreeing to marry me?" he clarified.

"Oh, well yes," she said with a shrug. "But like I said, it better come with a better proposal than this. Because this is a horrid story to tell when people ask you how you got engaged."

"And how long would you want to be engaged for?" he asked watching her carefully and obviously looking for the loophole he assumed she must have found.

"However long it takes your mother to plan the wedding since we both know we'll have no say," Nanao said rolling her eyes.

"And how long until you'd want kids?" he asked obviously waiting for something to go wrong.

"Two years?" she threw out. "That should be enough time to really get the ambassador program planted and growing."

"A year," he negotiated.

Nanao laughed and narrowed her eyes at him. "A year and a half."

"Are you serious, Nanao?" he asked once more looking more vulnerable then she imagined he could.

"I wanted to make sure I knew who I was on my own before I was confident enough to be who I am when I'm with you," she said. "I know who I am Shunsui, and being with you doesn't negate that. If anything it enhances it. I don't want to be your sidekick anymore, but your wife I may be able to handle."

"You think I'll be less protective of my wife than I was of my fukutaicho?" he asked pointedly.

"No, but I know how to handle it better," Nanao said unconcerned. "And before it always left me doubting myself, whether I needed the protection or not. Now I know for a fact I don't. If you get overbearing again, I'll simply kido you to the floor as I have discovered you haven't listened to one word of me trying to teach you how to escape bindings."

"And if I start listening?" he said cocking an eyebrow at her. "What'll you do then?"

"Then I will simply have Kage shove you through a gate to the living world or Hueco Mundo depending on how angry you've made me," Nanao said grinning. "It'll be good bankai practice if nothing else." She felt her sword thrill against her consciousness and her smile grew. Her zanpaktuo had been much more accommodating lately. "Kage is more than happy to oblige whenever."

Shunsui stared at her quietly for a moment and she started to wonder if he'd gone into shock or something. Nanao reached up to touch his arm and he caught her hand in his. "I have to admit I'm not sure what just happened," he said lightly. "I'd like to put it down to the world working in wonderful ways, but I'm terrified there's a catch or that you're teasing me. This seems too easy."

"Have the last few months seemed easy to you?" Nanao asked cocking her head to the side. "Because I'd swear we'd just spent the better part of the past year trying to get to here."

"If Kiyoko-san and the child had lived," he started and she saw the wound they'd left on him shining in his eyes.

"I told you," she said lacing her fingers through his. "By the end, it wasn't about them. You say you don't remember being with her, and I believe you. That wasn't your fault. Given if we get married and another girl shows up pregnant with your baby I'll just say screw it to the living world and Hueco Mundo and simply shove you through a gate into the hell dimension if I can figure out how to open it." She added quietly after a moment, "For your sake I wish they had lived so it didn't hurt you so. It wasn't fair what happened. It shouldn't have ended like that."

"All your threats aside, Nanao," he said eyes serious. "If we do this and something threatens you or any children we may have together I will protect you and them with a fury you have not yet been witness to. And that is something you will need to come to terms with. It is not in my nature to wait on the sidelines in a situation that threatens the people I love, no matter how much of your pride it may wound. I want to be frank about that before we make any decisions. If that's intolerable to you we can end this here and find a way to be friends."

Nanao smiled and pulled his head down with her free hand, ghosting her lips over his. "For me, you'll have to be fast enough to get there before I've handled the threat myself. Good luck with that. As for any children we may have, I'll be right there next to you ripping the world apart. No one touches my family if I can prevent it."

"Family," Shunsui repeated softly meeting her eyes. "I've hated that word for so long, its odd how badly I want it now. Want it with you."

"Then take it," she said. "I'm offering freely. We've been honest. We both know each other's terms. The only question left is if it's what you want."

"Of course I want it," he said with a small disbelieving chuckle. "I want you, I want everything."

"The year and a half is tolerable?" she asked bringing both hands up to his face.

"Yes," he answered covering one of her small hands with his own much larger one. "Though I may tell my mother and have her keep track of the exact days until that year and a half is up."

Nanao laughed. "If you do that, she'll show up on the last day and try to make us use your family's conception blanket."

"Never mind," he said letting his arms wrap around her and pull her closer. "I'll keep track myself."

Nanao laughed again and curled into his warmth. She was struck once more by how much being with him always felt like coming home. "I should go," she said after a few minutes.

"You just agreed to marry me and bear my children and you're planning on going back to your apartment?" Shunsui asked releasing her enough to quirk an eyebrow at her.

She murmured an mmm-hmmm and gave him a sleepy smile. "I thought I made it pretty clear I'm not going to start on the children tonight. Also I'm tired."

"Then stay here," he said firmly.

"No," she answered smiling wickedly. "I figure we've made it this long. Might as well hold off and make the wedding night special. I'll move in at the same time. It could be fun."

"You can't be serious," he said looking horrified. "You do understand that the last time I had sex was with you."

"You'll survive," she said and kissed his nose. She winced as it bothered her split lip and, damning the Higurashi's values, she reached up and sent a light kido healing through her lip. Returning her focus to Shunsui, Nanao couldn't temper her internal glee at his mortified look. It'd been a while since she'd made him chase her like this, and she'd forgotten how fun it could be. Although she rather enjoyed letting him catch her too. "I'd really get on with that better proposal and warn your mom to start planning if I were you. Longer it takes, the longer you suffer."

"I'll break you in a week," he said confidently.

Nanao slipped out of his arms and couldn't keep the smile from her face. "I'll take pleasure in watching you try. I always have had more staying power than you."

"Nanao-chan is as cruel as ever," he pouted. She turned to go and in a move too fast to see he was in front of her again pulling her into a kiss that seared a few of her neurons and left her weak kneed. Alright, so he might win this battle of wills if he kept that up. But not tonight.

"Goodnight, Shunsui," she said firmly.

"We'll elope and be married by the end of the week," he suggested.

"If you want your mother to kill you when she finds out," Nanao said with a shrug, "Be my guest."

"Might be worth it," he answered releasing her once more.

"I love you, you idiot," she said stepping around him.

"And I love my cute Nanao-chan no matter how cold she pretends to be," he sung out behind her.

She shook her head smiling and leapt into a shunpo towards her own apartment. Nanao had no idea how the marriage would go or having children. Probably they'd end up arguing more than was healthy and there would definitely be kido burns on the walls occasionally, but they'd also love each other even when they hated one another, and she'd always assumed that was one of the hardest things to accomplish in a relationship. To know even in the worst of times that you'd find a way to pull through with the other person. Whatever happened next, at least they'd be right where they should be. Not with her one step behind him, but instead squarely at his side.

* * *

**A/N: The end. Hope you guys enjoyed. Thank you for sticking with me through the at times rather long delays between posts. I'm currently contemplating a romantic comedy story with my favorite pair, so don't expect me to disappear for long.**


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